Rian Johnson serves up another delectable instalment in the Knives Out franchise with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, featuring Daniel Craig's return as the inimitable detective Benoit Blanc alongside a sparkling ensemble cast led by Josh O'Connor.
A More Serious Benoit Blanc Returns
Daniel Craig reprises his role as private investigator Benoit Blanc, though this time with a slightly more serious demeanour. The southern drawl and quirky mannerisms are somewhat dialled back, replaced by longer hairstyle and handsomely tailored three-piece suits that give the detective a refined new look.
The mystery unfolds in a Catholic church in upstate New York, where the presiding priest Monsignor Jefferson Wicks - a ferocious clerical alpha male played by Josh Brolin - has been murdered in sensational circumstances. The prime suspect becomes the sweet-natured junior priest Father Jud Duplenticy, amusingly portrayed by Josh O'Connor, who was recorded threatening to remove the Monsignor 'like a cancer' following disagreements over heartless attitudes.
An Extraordinary Ensemble Cast
The investigation becomes complicated by the Monsignor's close-knit group of eccentric parishioners, each with their own distinctive quirks and potential motives. The cast represents an absolutely sparkling array of acting talent including Glenn Close as fiercely loyal church housekeeper Martha Delacroix, Andrew Scott as failing sci-fi novelist Lee Ross, and Jeremy Renner as doctor Nat Sharp battling alcoholism.
Other notable characters include wheelchair-using cellist Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), lawyer Vera Draven (Kerry Washington) and her Trumpian influencer stepson Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack), with Thomas Haden Church completing the lineup as groundskeeper Samson Holt.
Beyond Conventional Whodunnit Territory
While the film begins as a traditional murder mystery, Johnson takes viewers into increasingly bizarre and convoluted territory that evolves into more of a deadpan-absurdist ensemble comedy than a straightforward whodunnit. The director cleverly references classic 'locked room' detective mysteries by authors like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers, though these serve more to mislead and divert than provide genuine clues.
Particularly memorable scenes include the Monsignor insisting that Father Jud hears his confession, which turns out to be an upsettingly detailed litany of masturbation episodes, followed by Jud's own stunningly effective counter-confession.
Josh O'Connor emerges as the first among equals in this talented cast, delivering a performance that solidifies his status as one of the most promising male stars of the decade. While all actors are at the top of their game, O'Connor's portrayal of the thoughtful junior priest provides the film's emotional core and most compelling character arc.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery arrives in cinemas on 28 November before streaming on Netflix from 12 December.
