Knives Out is a razor-sharp whodunnit with laughs

It’s nearing Christmas and as we head to the shortest day, what could be more comforting than a good story? And among the most appropriate tales for long, dark nights, then a good whodunnit must rank pretty high.

So we have Knives Out from writer, producer and director Rian Johnson’s, a movie offering a very up-to-date take on the isolated country house murder story.

In literary terms, Agatha Christie was the boss of this genre. Her books might seem light, but that takes great skill.

Here, Johnson shows no less skill.

The family of successful crime novelist Harlan Thrombey gathers to celebrate his 85th birthday, but the next morning, he’s found dead, in an apparent suicide.

Or was it?

When his will is read, it emerges that, shortly before his death, the author had cut his entire family out in place of his young South American carer, Marta.

Step forward local police – together with “the last of the gentleman detectives,” Benoit Blanc, who’s been anonymously hired to find out what really happened – and we start to learn that quite a few of the family had motives for murder.

This is really very good filmmaking. It’s a twisty plot that produces surprises until the end, with an added layer of interest in the subtle commentary on attitudes among some of the entitled middle class in Trump’s America.

The script is excellent – not least in Blanc’s overly verbose, drawling, southern character, including an hilarious diversion on doughnuts, and doughnuts within doughnuts. Indeed, there are a number of laugh-out-loud moments in the film and more than a few opportunities for a sly chuckle (watch for the final shot).

The cast is universally excellent, headed by Daniel Craig as Blanc and Ana de Armas as Marta.

Other acting nods go to Christopher Plumber, who sparkles as Thrombey, Jamie Lee Curtis as Linda, his eldest daughter, and Don Johnson as her husband. Toni Collette produces a very nice turn as a lifestyle guru and influencer who’s Harlan’s widowed daughter in law.

As Harlan’s grandson, Chris Evans gets a post-Marvel opportunity to show that he’s not as wooden as Captain America, while Michael Shannon is very effectively creepy as Walt, Harlan’s youngest son.

Thoroughly enjoyable – and sticks in the mind for some time after.