There's so much to love about Rian Johnson's upcoming holiday whodunnit. This review comes after having the opportunity to watch an advanced screening of "Knives Out". The film relies on a string of surprise twists and big reveals. It follows wealthy patriarch Harlan Thrombey who is found dead after celebrating his 85th birthday. It's assumed he was killed by suicide, but the detectives, including the private investigator, have a few more questions.

Detective Lt. Elliott and Investigator Benoit Blanc request that the Harlan family stay at the house until the murder is solved.

Those being questioned are made up of an amazing ensemble cast which includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, Riki Lindhome, Jaeden Martell and Toni Collette.

'Knives Out' has an incredibly strong ensemble cast

The film attempts to make cultural references to Movies like "Clue", and "Succession". One of the most enjoyable parts of "Knives Out" is watching a rich family in a mess taking shots at each other, throwing verbal daggers at each other, while trying to prove they are not the killer. The only difference between this film and "Knives Out", is this film is more family-friendly.

What keeps this movie going strong, is the rich casting that Johnson has managed to put together.

The entire cast gives their all and looks to be having a blast playing their characters. It's odd seeing Daniel Craig deliver a Southern accent and Chris Evans has comfortably adjusted to the post-Cap world. Ana de Armas takes the crown of the ensemble cast. Her character is charming and easy to root for. She provides the story with humor and dramatic tension.

'Knives Out' is not without flaws but it's still worth watching

While "Knives Out" is a great film, it does have its flaws. The film gets a bit choppy when it jumps around between interrogations and the family members explaining where they were at the time of the victim's death. It was difficult to know what was supposed to be taken as fact, while the film turns into a long-con misdirection.

"Knives Out," creates its own twists, but some of them are predictable, for those who are into classic mystery stories. While you may see something is coming, it's not clear how it all fits together. There is one glaring incongruity, but I could only explain it by revealing too many spoilers. The ability to foresee certain details does not take away from the fun whodunnit adventure. "Knives Out" is the perfect holiday film for families to enjoy over the Thanksgiving holiday. The secret is, the killer is not who you expect. One of the best moments is Chris Evans' presence as he is interrogated. After watching the film, I could see a second chapter to this story.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED