Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022, dir. Rian Johnson, US) by Kymm Zuckert

“Mr. Bron, I’ve learned through bitter experience that an anonymous invitation is not to be trifled with.”

There is not a lot more pleasurable than an all-star mystery movie. They used to do these a lot in the 1970s and ‘80s, like Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, The Mirror Crack’d, and Evil Under the Sun, or comedically with The Cheap Detective, Clue, and Murder by Death. 

Recently, Kenneth Branagh has come back with Hercule Poirot, which some prefer more than others (I’ll admit to being a fan), but it was Rian Johnson’s 2019 gem, Knives Out, that really gave us what we were missing: the great fun of an all-star cast, a good and twisty mystery, actors playing against type, and some solid comedy. 

When we saw Knives Out, we cried as one: “More! Give us more!” while at the same time feeling a bit of dread in that this was a task that would not be able to be repeated. 

Well, we should have feared nothing. Glass Onion is as big of a treat as Knives Out was, we should have trusted Rian and Daniel Craig not to do us wrong. 

In Knives Out, Daniel Craig delighted us as Benoit Blanc, the world’s greatest detective, with an outrageous Southern drawl, and all of the comedy and silliness that he didn’t get to indulge in after (at that time) thirteen years of James Bond smoldering. 

In Glass Onion, Benoit Blanc is back, sadly without Jamie Lee Curtis or Ana de Armas, but they are hardly missed in this glorious new cast of untrustworthy characters. 

The film starts with a weird bunch of people whom you wouldn’t imagine to be friends: Clare the Governor of Connecticut (Kathryn Hahn), Birdie the former supermodel (Kate Hudson), Duke the men’s rights vlogger (Dave Batista), and Lionel the scientist (Leslie Odom Jr.), all receiving a puzzle box from billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). 

Once they solve it, on a conference call, with the help of the hilarious Jackie Hoffman as Duke’s mother, they are off to a murder mystery weekend at Miles’ private Greek island. 

Turns out that they all have been friends from way back, along with Andi (Janelle Monáe), from whom they are estranged, but who comes along anyway. And also, Benoit Blanc, who doesn’t know anybody, including Miles Bron, and has no idea why he is there. Of course it turns out that he is needed after all, as the fake murder mystery gets realer than expected. This is the second film with this plot in 2022, the other being the far inferior Bodies Bodies Bodies. 

Daniel Craig’s Blanc is an absolute delight, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, as he swings back and forth between being out of step with the extreme wealth on display, and laser sharp as the great detective that he truly is. 

Everyone really kicks out the jams, though it would have been nice if Kathryn Hahn and Leslie Odom Jr. had had a bit more to do, but you cannot have all of the characters turning up everything to 11, somebody has to stay small and grounded or the movie crashes through the ceiling and we lose sight of it in the distance. 

Kate Hudson is magical and hilarious as the dim bulb Birdie. This is the first role she has done where I thought that if this film had been made in the ‘70s, her mom would have played that role. Not that she was in any way doing a Goldie Hawn impression, Goldie would have played the role entirely differently, but it was her type of role, and it was a real treat to see Kate just play it to the hilt. 

Dave Batista is terribly funny in a completely different way than he is in Guardians of the Galaxy, he has a real acting range that one might not expect from a former pro wrestler. Though when you think about it, WWE is totally acting, with stunts thrown in. You’ve gotta sell it, and he sells it as Duke as well. 

Janelle Monáe is just terrific in a role that ends up having a lot more layers than at first she seems, and Edward Norton is everything as, basically, Elon Musk. So funny, so casually rich, but basically about one millimeter deep. 

There are a number of celebrity cameos, some of whom are only just mentioned, but every time it’s just chef’s kiss perfection. 

The fact that this film is only on the big screen for a limited time is a crime, it’s such a treat to see in the theatres. However, I notice that it was supposed to be on for Thanksgiving week only, but it has unexpectedly spilled over into the following week! I mean, it will be fine on Netflix in December, but if you have the opportunity and it keeps hanging on, run out and see it if you can! An all-star cast deserves of be watched with a crowd.

Kymm Zuckert is an actor/writer/native Angelino. When Kymm was a child, her parents would take her to see anything, which means that sometimes she will see a film today and say, “I saw that when I was eight, I don’t remember any of that inappropriate sex stuff!” Check out her entire 365 day blog @ https://365filmsin365days.movie.blog