“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Mystery” is irresistibly clever and cheeky

There’s something about hearing the name Benoit Blanc that confirms that you can expect a fully fleshed-out mystery. A mystery so intriguing that you want to hang on to every word and detail while you watch. You know you should sit down (but not relax), put your phone down and indulge in a good brain game trying to solve it – alongside Benoit Blanc.

Rian Johnson’s latest film in the series, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, is not a rambunctious pedestrian stroll, nor is it like any of the films that came before it (although they were good, too). It’s a clever, clever thriller that invites you to jump in and start making a list of suspects. Use a whiteboard, mathematical equations, and an element of introspection, as the film delves into politics, generational trauma, and religious faith versus common sense.

Josh O’Connor plays Reverend Jude Duplantisi, a good-tempered former boxer still dealing with his past – he often talks about how he killed someone in the ring, which is why he turned to the priesthood. The film takes place in a small town in upstate New York, where Jude is sent after getting in trouble for punching a priest (yes, on the job). O’Connor brings a magnetic, charismatic quality to the role that puts you at ease, but also reminds you that his hands can be weapons.

Arriving at his assignment at the church, he meets Monsignor Jefferson Weeks, Josh Brolin’s boss — the title of Monsignor is very important — and who takes his job very seriously. Their first conversation, which is funny and surprising, shows you exactly what kind of person Weeks is, and you think he will either be the victim or top of the suspect list. He is the kind of priest who delivers sermons with spit, anger, and harsh judgments coming out of his mouth all at once to his congregation, earning himself both admirers and enemies. This flock includes Kerry Washington as local attorney Vera, Jeremy Renner as Dr. Nat Sharp, Cailee Spaeny (who plays a former cellist), and Glenn Close as an ardent, former church member. The hot priest himself, Andrew Scottas an unlucky author.

They are all deeply involved with Weeks for different reasons. We spend time with all of them, learning about the Church and its cultural ways and who is who and for whom when the Monsignor drops dead in the middle of a church service.

Daniel Craig returns once again as Detective Benoit Blanc, who appears midway through the film after being called in to help with the murder case. He allows Judd to cooperate with him to track down the killer, regardless of the fact that the guilt-ridden cleric is himself a suspect. Referring to Agatha Christie’s book, The Hollow Man, the investigation begins.

Craig has a Southern accent and sleuthing style, while Brolin and O’Connor impress the opposing priests. But we also get a very funny — and sometimes creepy — performance from Glenn Close, which I got a taste of in the trailer where her character, Martha, feels sick because kids are keeping paint on rocket ships on the cemetery grounds.

The film’s narrative critiques exploitative and manipulative forms of religion, while also presenting more grounded and honest human perspectives through its characters. There is a play of light and dark in the cinematography that serves as both comic relief and a subtle nod to its religious themes.

Detective Blanc asks questions to the suspects, to himself, and to the viewers as well in a winking manner. The Monsignor had secrets, a fortune he was rumored to inherit, loyal admirers and resentful haters. Who is the culprit in this Scooby-Dooby-Doo-like mystery?

Everyone is confused.

Can you help solve this impossible crime? The twists and turns in this story will keep you drawn from the investigation, so even if you can’t, you’ll be invested in what the hell happened.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery hits Netflix in theaters on November 26, and hits the streaming service on December 12.