Thomas K. Carpenter outlines what makes the first Knives Out movie such a great mystery in this short blog post. Be sure to read Thomas’s latest story, “Lord of Misrule,” in our Jan/Feb issue, on sale now!
With the next Knives Out movie due to hit Netflix (I don’t have a theater in my little mountain town) I revisited the first movie recently. I think it might be my fourth or fifth viewing.
When I first watched it, it felt like someone had cracked open a dusty old country-house mystery, infused it with fresh air, and handed it back with a knowing wink. As a lifelong mystery reader—and writer—I loved how Rian Johnson leaned into the tropes without ever letting them feel stale.
There’s the “isolated” mansion, the prickly, privileged family members who all insist they loved the victim (just not enough to avoid stabbing each other in the back), and of course, the eccentric detective dropped right into the middle of the chaos. Benoit Blanc’s drawling monologues alone are worth the price of admission.
But what really delighted me was how Johnson played fair with the audience. The clues are all right there—tucked into conversations, props, and character quirks—yet arranged so cleverly that even seasoned mystery fans can’t help but be surprised. At the same time, the film isn’t afraid to twist a trope on its head. Marta, the nurse caught in the middle, becomes both Watson and suspect, moral compass and wildcard. It’s a wonderful inversion of expectations that still respects the spirit of the genre.
The whole movie feels like a love letter to traditional whodunits, written by someone who understands exactly why we keep returning to them. It’s sly, clever, and just plain fun—a modern tale built on the bones of the classics, and all the stronger for it. I can’t wait to watch the third installment of this wonderful series.
SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN 