In May 2005, after the completion and release of his debut film Brick, Johnson came up with the basic concept for the film. In June 2010, he expressed interest in making an Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery film, and that he wanted to make the film after finishing Looper (2012). However, Johnson's next film project after Looper turned out to be Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017). In September 2018, the film was announced with Daniel Craig starring. Johnson cited several classic mystery thrillers and mystery comedies as influences on the film, including Something's Afoot, The Last of Sheila (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Murder by Death (1976), Death on the Nile (1978), The Private Eyes (1980), The Mirror Crack'd (1980), Evil Under the Sun (1982), Deathtrap (1982), Clue (1985), and Gosford Park (2001). By late October, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Noah Segan, Edi Patterson, Riki Lindhome, K Callan, Frank Oz, M. Emmet Walsh, and Christopher Plummer rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in late December. Filming took place in Boston, Massachusetts.
The film stars an ensemble cast that includes Craig, Evans, de Armas, Lee Curtis, Shannon, Johnson, Collette, Stanfield, Langford, Martell, Segan, Patterson, Lindhome, Callan, Oz, Emmet Walsh, and Plummer. The cast were credible in their roles. Craig was a very, very funny as the American, somewhat prissy, take-off on the Hercule Poirot archetype. Curtis, Shannon, Johnson, and Lindhome were marvelous as Linda, Walter, and Richard, though they haven't enough to do.
Knives Out is a very good silly-funny Neil Simon-esque satirical comedy, with a super all-star cast cavorting as recognizable pulp fiction detectives gathered at the home of Plummer, wealthy novelist fed up with despicable characters. It also has one of the nicest, breeziest screenplays I've seen to date. A mixture of all the great whodunnit mysteries; and perceptive social commentary, the film ranks among director Johnson's best. It's the sort of film one could see more than once and pick up on comedy bits unnoticed at first. It's a comic study of ancient and honorable human defects, including greed, envy, lust, pride, avarice, sloth, and falsehood. Nathan Johnson's music is another highlight. It wants to mislead us at every turn, confound all our expectations, and provide at least one moment when we levitate from our seats and come down screaming. It succeeds, more or less. Generally successful send-up of classic mysteries with a solid finale.
Knives Out is a very good silly-funny Neil Simon-esque satirical comedy, with a super all-star cast cavorting as recognizable pulp fiction detectives gathered at the home of Plummer, wealthy novelist fed up with despicable characters. It also has one of the nicest, breeziest screenplays I've seen to date. A mixture of all the great whodunnit mysteries; and perceptive social commentary, the film ranks among director Johnson's best. It's the sort of film one could see more than once and pick up on comedy bits unnoticed at first. It's a comic study of ancient and honorable human defects, including greed, envy, lust, pride, avarice, sloth, and falsehood. Nathan Johnson's music is another highlight. It wants to mislead us at every turn, confound all our expectations, and provide at least one moment when we levitate from our seats and come down screaming. It succeeds, more or less. Generally successful send-up of classic mysteries with a solid finale.
Simon says Knives Out receives:
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