If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That seems to be the general thinking behind the Knives Out series, and we can’t say we blame the filmmakers for thinking that way. Rian Johnson and his creative team have hit on a formula that delivers deliciously unadulterated entertainment from start to finish, and this latest entry in the series is no exception. With a witty, wily script, an intriguing murder, and an A-list cast that perfectly understands their assignments, Wake Up Dead Man proves both a worthy successor and a thoroughly engrossing new chapter for Netflix’s crowd-pleasing mysteries.
This time around, the plot revolves around young Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor). A more recent convert to the collar, he finds himself assigned to the shrinking Catholic parish of Chimney Rock–a small but colourful village in upstate New York–as a parochial punishment after letting his temper get the best of him. With its old church, overgrown cemetery, and host of exceedingly nosy neighbours, the setting would seem straight out of an Agatha Christie novel if it weren’t for the American accents and intentionally divisive rhetoric of the parish’s leader, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin).
Jud and Wicks clash almost immediately, with Jud favouring peace and love, and Wicks preaching judgment and fiery brimstone. Like the young priest, audiences become acquainted with the Monsignor’s acolytes: Martha, a Mrs. Danvers-like church assistant, Kerry Washington as a local lawyer, Jeremy Renner as the town’s doctor, Andrew Scott as a sci-fi writer losing his edge, Daryl McCormack as a failed right-wing politician who is attempting to re-make himself as a YouTube influencer, Thomas Haden Church as the groundskeeper (and Martha’s partner), and Cailee Spaeny as a famous cellist who is hoping for a miracle cure for her debilitation, career-halting chronic pain. So when the locked-room murder happens, there’s no shortage of suspects, but also no rational explanation for how it could’ve been done.
Cue Benoit Blanc, called to work on the case by the town law enforcement (Mila Kunis). In his element once again, the detective’s rationality in the face of religious wonder and commitment provides the main push and pull of the latter half of the movie. In other hands, or with another script, the arguments for one or the other might seem too on-the-nose or cliche, but here they feel fresh and interesting. Oftentimes even hilarious. Not least of which is because Craig continues to have a field day playing the charismatic Southerner. Having him hold court in the Gothic church is inspired visually and in terms of plot purposes. It just fits.
Like Ana de Armas and Janelle Monáe before him, O’Connor proves a deft hand at the comedy and drama of Johnson’s storytelling. His timing is impeccable, and he works particularly well in scenes with Brolin and Craig. Perhaps known more for his more serious roles, watching the actor let loose with sarcastic asides and even physical, even slapstick beats is a treat.
If there is a quibble to be had here, it’s that it feels like we get to spend less time with the assembled characters than we did in the previous films. So most of the supporting actors have very little to do, even if they’re integral plot-wise. But they all do exceptionally well with the screen time they do have, particularly Close and McCormack. But given the perfect atmosphere and spot-on storytelling on offer, its hard to let even that detract from the final product.
There are deeply philosophical debates about the divine versus the rational, and artifice versus truth throughout, but Johnson keeps things buoyed by the smart, even playful script. No serious moment goes unmet by something witty or unexpected. For every ancient bible reference, there’s one that harkens back to pulp fiction or film. For every meaningful moment, there’s bawdy graffiti on a crypt. It’s a perfectly balanced blend of the traditional and contemporary elements of mystery and comedy. And if Wake Up Dead Man is any indication, it’s clear that Johnson still has more to explore in the Benoit Blanc universe, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
