Sit down, Sherlock Holmes. Benoit Blanc is back.
Following the murder of a controversial priest, detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) teams up with the parish’s young assistant pastor Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) to solve this whodunit. The third installment to the beloved mystery series “Knives Out,” “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” further establishes the series’ wonderfully sharp and wacky world of director Rian Johnson’s making.
Compared to the previous films of the franchise, “Wake Up Dead Man” is more willing to delve into the emotional weight of its story rather than its mystery. This tendency serves as the film’s greatest strength.
At the center of the story is O’Connor’s Fr. Jud, a hopeful priest who believes in God’s forgiveness rather than the wrath and anger Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) preaches in his leadership over the church. Young Duplenticy struggles with the aggression that Wicks embodies and the backlash he receives as the primary suspect in Wicks’ murder.
Despite this struggle, Duplenticy never loses sight of his role as a priest. In a particularly touching scene, he steps back from the pressing mystery as he listens to the worries and struggles of a phone operator. Within the constant back and forth of a murder investigation, Duplenticy continuously chooses to be there for others rather than for himself. This sincerity, kindness and moving belief is brought to life beautifully by a charming O’Connor.
Craig’s portrayal of Blanc’s logical force acts as the perfect foil to Jud’s sincerity. Blanc is quick to pursue rational explanation over emotional truth. It is only through his alliance with Duplenticy that he learns to strive for optimism rather than assuming the worst. Their first meeting is a striking exchange that highlights their opposing worldviews and serves as one of the many explorations into religion — on belief as both a vicious and beautiful act. “Do these stories convince us of a lie,” Duplenticy asks Blanc in this first interaction, “or do they resonate with us something deep inside us that’s profoundly true?”
Along with its poignant dialogue, the film is full of intriguing visuals. These visuals add another dimension to the myriad conversations and characters that fill its story. For example, during the flashbacks to Wicks’ and the church’s past, the shots are framed in stained glass. In one, when Wicks’ mother Grace (Annie Hamilton) goes on a rampage on the church’s altar, broken red shards frame Grace’s wild eyes. The whole room is lit in shades of red, crafting a gorgeously evocative sequence. Darkness is frequently contrasted with light, an apt and intriguing visual display of Duplenticy’s and Blanc’s struggles.
However, while “Wake Up Dead Man” succeeds in its spiritual exploration, its mystery takes a backseat. The film’s “impossible crime” is often relegated to short bursts where reveals are jarring and blunt, rather than the product of an appropriate and continuous buildup. As a result, there’s a slight disconnect between the film’s drama and mystery elements, one that doesn’t always disrupt the experience but isn’t entirely seamless.
Though the film boasts a huge character cast, a staple of the franchise, this set of characters feels to be a burden on a story rather than an addition. Unlike the first and second film, many of the characters are overlooked as the film’s plot develops. Potentially interesting figures, such as former cello prodigy Simone (Cailee Spaeny) who is drawn to faith for a miracle, aren’t explored beyond simple introductions. Duplenticy is an incredibly interesting character for the story to dedicate itself to, but this focus causes the other characters to become flat and feel unnecessary to the plot at hand.
Continuing its legacy of fascinating mysteries, “Wake Up Dead Man” is a welcome and well-crafted addition to the “Knives Out” series. While its mystery may not boast the most complex twists and turns, the film’s strength comes from its exploration of faith and religion. Under all the layers it carefully weaves, there’s a surprisingly heartwarming story at its core, making it maybe the first truly moving murder mystery in a long while.
