Monday, November 28, 2022

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery


One of my favorite movies of 2019 was Rian Johnson's inventive and fun twist on the murder mystery Knives Out. So, naturally, I was very excited for the follow-up to arrive with a new case for that film's detective to solve with a whole new cast of colorful characters. The resulting film, Glass Onion, more than delivers with a follow-up every bit as good and fun as the original film. 

It's May 2020 and a group of five friends each receive an elaborate puzzle box from their longtime friend Miles Bron (played by Edward Norton), a billionaire and CEO of the tech company Alpha Industries. The folks getting the box include Claire Debella (played by Kathryn Hahn), Lionel Toussant (played by Leslie Odom, Jr.), Birdie Jay (played by Kate Hudson), Duke Cody (played by Dave Bautista) and Cassandra "Andi" Brand (played by Janelle Monae). Also receiving a box is renowned detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig). Inside of each box is an invitation to a weekend retreat to Miles's private island to participate in a Murder Mystery game. Also arriving on the island is Birdie's personal assistant, Peg (played by Jessica Henwick) and Duke's girlfriend, Whiskey (played by Madelyn Cline). Upon their arrival, they are greeted by Miles who welcomes them all. However, he takes Benoit aside after and admits to being confused as to why he is there and he was not invited to the party. Miles quickly deduces that someone re-sent one of their boxes to him. But the question remains who invited him and why. Especially as secrets and animosities among this group of mismatched friends begin bubbling to the surface and it becomes clear someone really does want Miles dead. 

The film was written and directed by Rian Johnson who manages to craft another unique and thrilling mystery that is at once a traditional murder mystery while also playing with our expectations of the genre in deliciously unique ways. I want to try and preserve as many of the film's surprises as possible as there are a number of fun twists. There is also more humor in the film coming from it's array of colorful characters. Johnson is clearly taking inspiration from the Poirot movies from the late 70's-Early 80's, especially Evil Under the Sun, for this film from both the choice of location and overall mood. The production design of the film is incredible in terms of Miles' sprawling mansion that is the film's primary location, including the titular "Glass Onion", a large glass dome structure that is the centerpiece of the estate and also the location where the various layers of this group's pasts are revealed. 

Much like the first film, this one has assembled a fantastic cast led by Daniel Craig returning as Benoit Blanc. We learn a little bit more about him this time around, including getting a look into his home life, his partner, as well as how he copes when he doesn't have a case to solve. Craig is clearly having a blast with the role as he chews on that Southern accent while trying to solve a very unique and perplexing mystery. Edward Norton is a joy to watch as Miles Bron, the eccentric and potentially reckless Tech Billionaire. He does well portraying a character who has clearly bought into all their press and has an inflated ego as a result. Yet he also gives the character a lot of charm and personality that makes the character a delight to watch. Kathryn Hahn is a hoot as Claire Debella, current Governor of Connecticut and preparing to run for the Senate, a fact that drives her actions throughout the movie. Kate Hudson is hilarious online influencer Birdie Jay who says so many controversial and politically incorrect things online her assistant has confiscated her phone and refuses to give it back. Jessica Henwick plays off this wonderfully as her put upon assistant Peg. Dave Bautista is quite the character as Twitch streamer and Men's Rights activist Duke Cody, who has gained quite the following for his toxic masculine personality and goes nowhere without a pistol strapped to himself. Leslie Odom Jr. does well as the rare voice of reason in this group, as the brilliant mind behind many of the innovations Miles has taken credit for, creating some justified animosity between the two. Last but certainly not least is Janelle Monae as the cool and standoffish Cassandra "Andi" Brand, who has her own issues with Miles that are revealed as the movie goes on. She is fantastic in the role and how her character changes as more about her past and the relationships with others come to light. There is a lot with her character and I don't want to give anything away, so I will just leave it as she's awesome.                

Overall, Glass Onion is a worthy follow-up to Knives Out with another fantastic cast and a twisty mystery at it's core that at once both adheres to and subverts the tropes of the mystery genre. The set up of the film all feels familiar in that great way we all expect but then the film keeps going in other directions and really kept me on my toes throughout. I'd love to elaborate on what I mean by that but I would hate to spoil all the surprises the film has. It's a bummer that the film is only getting a one week, limited release as it is a movie that plays great with a large audience. I saw it in a packed theater over Thanksgiving weekend and had a blast with it. If you don't get a chance to see it in the theater, never fear as it will be premiering on Netflix starting December 23rd. 

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