Sherlock Holmes meets Clue in the must see movie of 2019, “Knives Out.” Directed by Rian Johnston, the movie features a wide array of well known actors like Daniel Craig, but what makes the movie shine is its humor, drama, and plot.

The movie centers around the death of the famous murder mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey and his suspected suicide. As Harlan’s children, their families and Harlan’s home nurse Marta Cabrera gather to mourn his death, the local police and hired slooth Detective Benoit Blanc investigate to determine whether it was, in fact, a murder.

One of the defining aspects of the movie was its use of drama and conflict. The conflict between the family and Harlan was to be expected from a story such as this; however, the extension of that dissension beyond his death was something of a marvel. In the wake of his will, Harlan caused more discord dead than alive.

The humor was a great pacemaker that lightened up the story. In the closing scenes of the movie right before the climax, Blanc uses an analogy of a donut and the donut hole to describe the complexity of the case. It was all placed precisely to disrupt the tempo of the movie in a way that could slow it down and not take itself too seriously. While there were points where the humor felt ill suited or  awkward, it was only in a few instances.

The plot was a masterpiece. It built upon itself with every scene. Every camera shot and every piece of dialogue had a purpose. Every small detail was used to hint at the conclusion of the film with most being forgotten or disregarded by the viewer, only being pieced together by Blanc in the end. 

“Knives Out” was a fantastic movie and worth every penny of the ticket price. If you missed it in theaters, I encourage you to watch it digitally.