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Murder mystery "Knives Out," arriving in U.S.
and British movie theaters on Wednesday, may be inspired by the
work of the prolific British crime writer but its twist on the
genre couldn't be more modern, or more humorous.
Directed by Rian Johnson, the director of "Star Wars: The Last
Jedi," and with a star-studded cast, the whodunit sees Daniel
Craig play a debonair southern American detective seeking to
unmask the truth behind the death of a wealthy and eccentric
patriarch, played by Christopher Plummer.
In the process, the film touches on other aspects of the moral
landscape of the United States in 2019, including such topics as
immigration and white privilege.
"We set this movie today in America and the whole idea was this
isn't going to be timeless, this isn't going to be a sepia old
story. We are going to engage with the culture right now," said
Johnson.
While the movie has serious things to say, it's all done "in a
way that you'll be able to have a laugh at," he said.
Rarely for a Hollywood movie, the film puts a Latina caregiver,
played by Cuban actress Ana de Armas, front and center.
"I could never think that a Latina in this scenario would just
have that much presence and also be highlighted with all these
good values," said de Armas.
She "is the moral compass of the story and the heart of the
story," the actress added.
Running through the murder mystery, complete with red herrings
and a large dysfunctional family, is what actor Don Johnson
describes as a humorous and honest look at "how entitled people
behave towards immigrants and people of color."
Jamie Lee Curtis plays Linda Drysdale, the eldest daughter of
the multi-generational family.
"It is not an anti-Trump movie and it is not a pro-Trump movie,"
Curtis said. "It is family conversation about the issues that
are plaguing our country."
(Editing by Jill Serjeant and Sonya Hepinstall)
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