«A Couteaux tirés», like a Cluedo

Cinema Wednesdays - Loris S. Musumeci

«Evidence sometimes tells stories that reason contradicts.»

The day after his eighty-fifth birthday, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead in his bedroom. A comical situation in which a best-selling mystery writer becomes the real-life protagonist of a murder mystery. Murder or suicide? That is the question. That's the suspicion that the police and Detective Blanc (Daniel Craig) - who's as classy as ever! - must clear up to solve this case.

At Knife's Point is a real-life Cluedo that goes through, one by one, each member of the Thrombey family and the household staff—all of whom were present at the birthday party. Anyone could be the killer, since everyone had a motive. To inherit the estate early, of course. This immediately gives the film its comedic edge, as each person, when questioned privately by the investigators, recounts their own version of the events that unfolded on the night of Harlan’s death. Obviously, each one is a caricature of themselves; each is, in fact, nothing more than a puppet whose movements are controlled by a puppeteer named greed.

But, contrary to all expectations, the suspense doesn't last. After half an hour, we already know everything! What's the point of continuing? Because we think we know all, but what we actually know is almost everything. And this continues right up until the very end of the film. The real interest lies in the web of lies that is spun to conceal other, older lies. So much so that even when a character says the the absolute truth, you think to yourself that it can't be that simple. There must be something else.

And there’s something else: we’re deceived by the truth of the facts themselves. That’s quite original for a mystery film. Let’s talk about the detective in question. Benoît Blanc is elusive. Throughout the entire film, he seems to have no clue what’s going on. However, it’s the red herrings he cheerfully pursues that lead him not only to the truth, but also to the truth hidden behind that truth. As for his performance, Daniel Craig is simply top-notch—with a bit more lightheartedness and humor than a James Bond.

All the actors really bring their roles to life. They’re all caricatures of themselves, and you can tell they’re giving it their all. At Knife's Point It therefore offers the audience entertainment and a well-crafted mystery. But nothing more. In fact, whenever the screenplay tries to convey even a semblance of a message or moral, it comes across as rather pathetic. This is the film’s weakness, and it’s what limits its scope. It’s a crime thriller—and nothing more. It’s a shame it can’t delve a little deeper into more profound issues regarding family, writing, and the subtle interplay between truth and lies.

This negative aspect does not prevent Rian Johnson’s film from paying close attention to its cinematography, placing significant emphasis on objects such as knives or puppets. Nor does it prevent him from paying a well-executed and enjoyable tribute to the crime thriller genre through clever and well-judged touches. Yet this tribute draws a clear and distinct line between the film and the classic crime thriller, as if Rian Johnson and the genre were at loggerheads.

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Photo credit: © Impuls Pictures