Movie Review: Wake Up Dead Man

Daniel Craig clearly revels in portraying detective Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out movies, and frankly, as long as he and writer / director Rian Johnson want to keep making them I will happily keep watching. Between these films and his TV series Poker Face with Natasha Lyonne, Johnson has proven to be somewhat of a modern master of mystery, a reputation that is only burnished with the excellent Wake Up Dead Man.

This time around, Blanc is called out to upstate New York, where the incendiary Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) drops dead in a storage closet off the pulpit in the middle of Good Friday service. Boxer-turned-Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) is the first to reach the man and discovers a knife with a red, devil’s head handle plunged into Wicks’ back. The small but almost obsessively devoted group of parishioners in attendance (Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church) are understandably aghast at the discovery, and many want to blame Jud. But he was in plain sight, leading the service while Wicks slipped away, and the locked-room nature of the crime makes the mystery even more baffling.

Given the seeming impossibility of the crime, it’s no wonder that local Police Chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) called on Blanc, who has become something of a minor celebrity. He immediately sets to work trying to piece together what might have happened, enlisting Father Duplenticy’s help, having quickly ruled him out as a suspect. As always, the deeper Blanc digs, the more layers he uncovers—some stretching back decades—and for once, he may have met a case that even he can’t crack.

As usual with these movies the cast is absolutely stacked with top-tier talent. There is not a weak link in the bunch, though anyone familiar with Close, Brolin, and O’Connor won’t be surprised to know that they emerge as the standouts here. Craig continues to be absolute perfection as the quick-witted master detective, having crafted a character that may overtake his turn as James Bond for the most memorable role of his career.

The mystery itself is well put together, and though some may guess the culprit early, the “how” and “why” remain elusive until the final reveal. Johnson’s dialogue remains smart and zippy throughout, with Blanc and Duplenticy’s discussions of faith especially entertaining. There are clever parallels to some of what currently ails modern society that make the filmmaker’s position on certain figures and movements plainly obvious, but the representation of religion is refreshingly even-handed and lends heft to the poignant finale. Once again, Johnson proves that smart storytelling can be both entertaining and thought-provoking, leaving audiences smiling, moved, and eager for more. Here’s hoping Blanc’s adventures continue for years to come. ★★★★★