Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the most fun I have had in the theater this year. Mic drop. Will it win best picture at the Academy Awards? Probably not. But fun seldom does. It is certainly a film I will recommend to everyone I know, as well as watching it several times myself.
Glass Onion IN THEATERS FOR ONE WEEK ONLY: November 23, RELEASING GLOBALLY ON NETFLIX: December 23rd #GlassOnion
This is not a sequel to Knives Out (2019). Instead it continues the adventures of Knives Out famous detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). Writer/Director Rian Johnson does something rare which is to create a sophomore film that is even better than the first one. Knives Out was a creative and intriguing who-dun-it. Glass Onion takes that creativity and shoots it full of steroids. The characters are zanier, the mystery elevated, and Blanc more brilliant.
The cast work well together with no ego or reserve. That is so vital with a script like this one. The characters are there at times simply to be made fun of. It is an organic humor in which the jokes are not mean spirited but rather a way to show that we are all flawed in some way or another.
Ed Norton we know can do intensity, drama, and pomp. Here he shows how well rounded he is and why he is one of the most under appreciated guys in the industry. He plays Miles Bron a billionaire tech guy with an excessive need for attention. Miles has gathered a group of his long time closest friends for a weekend on his private Greek island. The plan is a fun murder mystery dinner party, but things get a little too real.
Like any good clue driven mystery the audience will think they have it all figured out only to find out that only Blanc has all the right answers. And he does it with that humble, slow drawl, that lulls you into thinking that he doesn’t know anything. Craig is a joy to watch in this role. It is far removed from Bond yet there is still a bit of swagger and an eye that misses nothing.
Amazing ensemble cast
There are no supporting roles here. Everyone brings something necessary to the show. Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Madelyn Cline, and Jessica Henwick move effortlessly together like a choreographed dance; keeping viewers on their toes. If you like cameos from pop culture this one has them in abundance. And they come out of nowhere with hilarious results.
Is the payoff worth the journey? As much as I liked Knives Out I am not sure I felt satisfied at the end. With Glass Onion I was more than pleased with the outcome. In fact there was very little in this one that didn’t delight me. I am not sure if we will get more Benoit Blanc escapades. If we do it will be hard to top this one.
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