Knives Out

""Craig couldn’t be better or more adorable as Benoit Blanc. His steely blue-eyed intensity makes him both a compelling interrogator and a comedic force—especially when pontificating about truth and doughnuts. He sprinkles all 11 herbs and spices onto his Kentucky-fried accent, and while it may prove a bit much for some, it cleverly anchors the film’s tone: very humorous, a bit preposterous, but always consistent.""

"Only when the action suddenly leaves Chez Thrombey and the tight plotting starts to unravel does the film have to work valiantly to tie everything together, delivering some strange surprises. Knives Out is at its sharpest when Detective Blanc is doing the talking."

"...not as sharp as it could have been, but Knives Out is nonetheless an engaging romp worth taking a stab at."

"Knives Out is much more extravagantly clever than Ready or Not, but also a relatively sentimental tale, in which the promise of nastiness held out in the title isn’t entirely kept. As Johnson himself has said, the whodunnit is a genre meant to reassure – and part of the enjoyment of this extremely enjoyable film is in seeing him stick to the rules, in his own way."

"Knives Out is a film for lovers of murder mysteries, fans of dysfunctional family dramedies and everyone who just loves great movies."

"This is a must-see for anyone who likes good movies, but it's a massive treat for those who believe a whodunnit should prominently feature wool cardigans."

"There is some savvy subtext in Rian Johnson's writing, about old money and Trump-era values, but mainly this is exceptional cinematic froth, and murder at its most mirthful."

"Working from his own original script, Johnson has much fun pulling the strings as well as the rug from underneath us time and time again."

"A delicious throwback to the all-star whodunit, this juicy comedy thriller is a treat from start to finish, which should make it a sizeable hit for Lionsgate."

"Do not expect subtlety; it's the kind of movie that tells you the "game's afoot" twice."

"The film rolls and bounces with giddy elation, Johnson and his troupe of actors clearly enjoying themselves as they entertain."

"Johnson hasn't just churned out a wink-wink spoof of the classical drawing-room mystery... with its ingenious twists and turns, he has crafted an intricate puzzle-box narrative worthy of the genre's brainiest practitioners."

"Stick with Knives Out and it delivers once all of the puzzle pieces have been picked up and slotted into place."