--- title: "Knives Out" year: 2019 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/knives-out" fi1m_id: "knives-out" imdb_id: "tt8946378" tmdb_id: 546554 wikidata_id: "Q57982486" fi1m_score: 81 critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 13 published: "2026-09-16" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:47.376140+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Knives Out (2019) Directed by Rian Johnson · 2h 11m · MPA PG-13 · Comedy, Crime, Mystery ## Identity Knives Out - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/knives-out - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** knives-out - **IMDb ID:** tt8946378 - **TMDB ID:** 546554 - **Wikidata ID:** Q57982486 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8946378/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/546554, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57982486 **Fi1m score: 81** · Critics 78 from 13 reviews *In a sentence:* A country house full of people who could afford better manners > Rian Johnson’s country-house mystery is funny, carefully plotted and anchored by Ana de Armas. We recommend it warmly, though some family members are drawn too broadly and the dialogue occasionally seems to wait for applause. ## Synopsis A murder investigation brings Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) into the affairs of the wealthy Thrombey family and their country house. Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon) are among the people whose connections Blanc must examine, with Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) drawn into the case. Blanc wants to establish what has happened, but family grievances and anxieties about money complicate the questioning. As accounts of events are revisited, the detective has to separate the facts from the image this family presents to outsiders. ## Review Rian Johnson’s *Knives Out* is a funny, carefully organised whodunnit that we recommend with a small reservation about its fondness for showing off. It takes the country-house mystery seriously enough to give the detective work proper attention. It also recognises how much comedy there is in wealthy people explaining why their money has nothing to do with their behaviour. The actors make this family’s grievances entertaining enough that we are happy to hear them out. Daniel Craig gives Benoit Blanc enough eccentricity to risk becoming a distraction, but the detective’s curiosity keeps the performance useful. We enjoy the suggestion that he is listening for the thing a person wishes they had not said. His manner lets the comedy run without making the investigation seem disposable. Against an ensemble this eager to be noticed, giving the detective permission to be peculiar is a practical decision, and Daniel Craig judges how far to push it. Ana de Armas gives Marta Cabrera the most important thing in a crowded mystery: a life we can care about beyond the case. We were more worried about her than we expected to be. Her unease feels immediate beside the family’s elaborate complaints about money, and she never seems to be waiting for the next joke. Chris Evans, as Ransom Drysdale, brings a welcome edge to the comedy without pulling attention away from her for long. David Crank’s production design makes the country house persuasive as a place people would be reluctant to give up. The rooms give the cast something to compete with, and occasionally we would welcome more time to look around. Steve Yedlin’s cinematography suits that expensive, slightly over-arranged setting, keeping its polish without making the people seem any more respectable. The house makes the family’s attachment to wealth easy to understand, even when their explanations are less convincing. Bob Ducsay’s editing keeps the flashbacks from feeling like repeated explanations of the same business. Returning to an event is pleasurable when there is another detail to weigh, and the film generally knows when to move on. Nathan Johnson’s score contributes to the sense of play without making the case feel trivial. At 131 minutes, though, the film leaves room for a few exchanges that have already made their point, particularly when another family member gets a turn to complain. The main irritation is Rian Johnson’s dialogue, which sometimes sounds too carefully prepared for people supposedly speaking under pressure. Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Shannon give their lines bite, but even they cannot always disguise how firmly the family members have been assigned their faults. The satire on inherited wealth is clear early, then repeated rather more often than it needs to be. Some of these people could have been allowed an unguarded moment without weakening the comedy or making them any more likeable. We expect a country-house whodunnit to give us suspects worth watching and a case worth following. *Knives Out* supplies both, with enough interest in the family’s money to make their quarrels matter beyond the investigation. Its less subtle stretches do not spoil the considerable pleasure of watching this cast question one another’s motives. Watch it with someone who enjoys comparing suspicions, and agree not to pause every time one of them changes. *Fi1m score 81, published 16 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find Knives Out a funny, carefully plotted revival of the whodunnit, with Rian Johnson updating familiar conventions without losing their pleasures. Praise centres on the script’s construction and the ensemble, particularly Daniel Craig’s eccentric detective and Ana de Armas’s central performance. The reviews also welcome the treatment of inherited wealth, entitlement and snobbery, finding that the social commentary gives the comedy bite without getting in the way of the mystery. The spread runs from enthusiasm to qualified enjoyment, with reservations chiefly about how insistently clever it all feels. The Evening Standard finds the staging overly theatrical and the emotional engagement limited, while Vulture enjoys the actors but finds the final explanations confusing. Other reservations concern polished dialogue, thin characterisation and length; the disagreement is largely over whether the intricate plotting and busy performances remain entertaining enough to carry those weaknesses. ## Straight answers **Is Knives Out worth watching?** *Knives Out* is worth watching for anyone who enjoys a country-house whodunnit with jokes, and we scored it 81. Rian Johnson plots it carefully, Daniel Craig makes the detective agreeably peculiar, and Ana de Armas gives it someone to worry about. The satire on inherited wealth is repeated more often than it needs to be, and some of the family are drawn too broadly. **How long is Knives Out, and what is it rated?** *Knives Out* runs 2h 11m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and crime film. **Where can I watch Knives Out in the US?** *Knives Out* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Knives Out compare to Gosford Park?** *Knives Out* is the tighter and funnier of the two, while [*Gosford Park*](https://film.one/film/gosford-park) is the sharper study of class and who does the work in a big house. Rian Johnson keeps the detective work orderly; Robert Altman's plotting can get muddled, though his ensemble rewards closer attention. Choose Johnson for the puzzle, Altman for the people. **What should I watch after Knives Out?** After *Knives Out*, try [*Gosford Park*](https://film.one/film/gosford-park) (2001, Fi1m 85): Another country house where questions about murder expose who does the work. Then [*The Lady Vanishes*](https://film.one/film/the-lady-vanishes) (1938, Fi1m 88): A train replaces the mansion, with similarly nimble shifts between jokes and danger. ### Reviews we read (21) - **Radio Times**, Huw Fullerton (5/5): Knives Out is a brilliantly political, funny and well-plotted story that pays homage to the whodunnit without pastiching it and is probably Johnson's best film yet. The critic singles out the thoughtful exploration of inherited wealth and snobbery, anchored by Ana de Armas. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/knives-out-review/) - **Sight and Sound**, Kate Stables (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Rian Johnson's inventive and witty comedy-thriller as a crowd-pleasing revival of the whodunnit genre. They single out the kinetic energy and puzzle-solving pleasures delivered by Daniel Craig's eccentric detective. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/knives-out-review-rian-johnson-revives-whodunnit-with-crowd-pleasing-panache) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (4/4/4): Johnson delivers a riotous, star-packed homage to the classic whodunnit that moves at a breathless pace while airing dirty laundry on class and politics. The critic notes some one-note characters but highlights the satisfying finale and final twist. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/knives-out) - **The i Paper**, Demetrios Matheou (4/5): Johnson’s modern riff on the Agatha Christie whodunnit is called gloriously entertaining, with Craig’s Columbo-like Blanc singled out as a delightfully curious highlight. The critic praises the strong ensemble turns, especially from de Armas and Evans, and the contemporary social commentary woven into the twists. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/knives-out-review-daniel-craig-offers-a-delightfully-curious-performance-with-a-bold-touch-of-columbo-368299) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (80/100, inferred): Rian Johnson dusts off the Agatha Christie whodunit with a sleek, cleverly machined puzzle box that entertains through twists and an all-star cast. The critic praises the director’s obvious pleasure in the genre and the film’s exacting construction over its surprises. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/movies/knives-out-review.html) - **Screen Daily** (75/100, inferred): The film is a celebration of murder mysteries that puts on a nifty impression of one, with a smartly executed finale that is oddly touching. The critic singles out the rampant cleverness, twists and the human story emerging amid the swagger. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/knives-out-toronto-review/5142705.article) - **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (65/100, inferred): The film is described as a self-reflexive parody and summation of the whodunnit genre packed with clever twists, flashbacks and genre conventions. While splendidly cast and entertaining as a puzzle, it is criticised for being overly theatrical and stagey with little emotional engagement. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/knives-out-review-whodunnit-sleuth-daniel-is-here-to-find-out-a4300081.html) - **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (3/5): The film is a retro pleasure with murder, skulduggery and clever plotting, often deliriously fun despite overly lacquered dialogue. The critic singles out the unexpected Trumpian comeuppance theme and Ana de Armas's central role. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/knives-out) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (60/100, inferred): The critic finds it comfy and enjoyable with terrific actors who relish the material and rich white bigots getting their comeuppance. He singles out the high style, self-conscious writing, and confusing final revelations as drawbacks. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/11/knives-out-movie-review-rian-johnsons-whodunit.html) - **Empire**, Nick de Semlyen: The critic calls it a sly, wry and nimble modern homage to classic murder mysteries that is exactly as fun as hoped. Johnson is praised for updating the genre while retaining its tropes, with standout performances from the ensemble and a sharp political subtext. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/knives-out/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang: Rian Johnson’s magnificently crafted tale is ingenious and irresistible, a criminally good time that weaponizes the pleasures of the classical detective story while delivering an eat-the-rich buffet of schadenfreude. The critic singles out the airtight plotting, comic high jinks, and Ana de Armas’s evolution into a commanding truth-teller. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-11-22/la-et-mn-knives-out-review-rian-johnson) - **RogerEbert.com**, Brian Tallerico: Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” is one of the most purely entertaining films in years, a cinematic magic trick that keeps viewers guessing while delivering scathing social commentary on class and America in 2019. The critic singles out the ingenious whodunit structure and Ana de Armas’s central performance for praise. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/knives-out-2019) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: The critic finds Rian Johnson's whodunnit an entertaining, humorous country-house mystery with strong performances, especially Daniel Craig as the eccentric detective Benoit Blanc, and notes its social satire on class and family dysfunction, though it lacks some of the expected narrative twists. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/nov/29/knives-out-review-daniel-craig-rian-johnson) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic calls it a delicious throwback to the all-star whodunit and a juicy comedy thriller that is a treat from start to finish. He singles out the ingeniously plotted script, the crackerjack ensemble cast, and the subversive class commentary. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/knives-out-tiff-2019-1237825/) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge: Rian Johnson pays crowd-pleasing tribute to classic whodunits with a wondrously convoluted case and an over-the-top ensemble, treating the brain teaser as comedy. The critic praises the intricate plotting and the way the film makes a statement about wealth and entitlement without the usual cheese. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/knives-out-review-1203327504/) - **HeyUGuys**, Adam Solomons (5/5): The critic calls it one of the funniest films of the year, praising the complex whodunit, subversive humor, and standout performances from the all-star cast including Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas. They note its theatrical style and appeal as a welcome original studio comedy. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/knives-out-review/) - **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (9.5/10): The critic describes the film as a deliriously funny and endlessly entertaining whodunit with clever twists, an homage to classic mysteries, and a superb ensemble cast having a great time. They single out Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc and Ana de Armas's Marta as highlights in a giddy, twist-filled experience. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/568943/knives-out-review/) - **Film Stories** (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's gleeful fun and excellent ensemble cast, especially Daniel Craig's detective Benoit Blanc, while noting it feels slightly too long. They highlight the witty script rooted in classic mysteries and the sheer entertainment value as standout elements. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/knives-out-review-lots-of-wool-lots-of-fun/) - **The Wrap** (60/100, inferred): The critic finds it a perfectly entertaining whodunnit but ultimately disappointing, noting that the promising ensemble and ambitious mystery tropes aren't fully utilized. The all-star cast and mansion setting receive praise but are underused. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/knives-out-film-review-rian-johnson-chris-evans-jamie-lee-curtis/) - **Collider**, Adam Chitwood: The critic calls Knives Out a supremely entertaining whodunit that blends Agatha Christie mystery, Hitchcock thriller, and broad comedy with perfect precision into a remarkable whole. They single out the impeccably constructed script and the star-studded ensemble's performances for praise. [Read](https://collider.com/knives-out-review-rian-johnson/) - **Den of Geek**, Don Kaye (4 out of 5): The critic calls it one of 2019's sharpest films and an absolute blast thanks to Rian Johnson's surehanded writing and direction. The standout ensemble cast, led by Ana de Armas and Daniel Craig, is singled out for bringing fresh energy to the whodunit. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/knives-out-review-daniel-craig/) ## Details - **Director:** Rian Johnson - **Director:** Rian Johnson - **Writer:** Rian Johnson - **Cinematography:** Steve Yedlin - **Editor:** Bob Ducsay - **Music:** Nathan Johnson - **Production design:** David Crank - **Costume design:** Jenny Eagan - **Producer:** Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman - **Cast:** Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc; Chris Evans as Ransom Drysdale; Ana de Armas as Marta Cabrera; Jamie Lee Curtis as Linda Drysdale; Michael Shannon as Walt Thrombey; Don Johnson as Richard Drysdale; Toni Collette as Joni Thrombey; LaKeith Stanfield as Lieutenant Elliott - **Runtime:** 2h 11m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 27 November 2019 - **Genres:** Comedy, Crime, Mystery - **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2019) - **Budget:** $40 million - **Box office:** $313 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOg3AoRc4nI ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-16.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Gosford Park* (2001), Fi1m 85: Another country house where questions about murder expose who does the work. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/gosford-park.md) - *The Last of Sheila* (1973): Rich suspects, elaborate games and a script that expects close attention. - *8 Women* (2002): A French household turns murder, suspicion and resentment into musical comedy. - *The Lady Vanishes* (1938), Fi1m 88: A train replaces the mansion, with similarly nimble shifts between jokes and danger. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lady-vanishes.md) - *The Kid Detective* (2020): A funny, increasingly sombre case for a detective struggling with adulthood. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/knives-out