All-star whodunit is a nod to Christie

After the creative misstep of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, writer-director Rian Johnson returns to the detective genre, which served him well for his award-winning 2005 debut feature Brick, to pay tribute to Agatha Christie with a tongue-incheek country house whodunit.

Knives Out assembles a starry cast of prime suspects including Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette and Michael Shannon and cleverly conceals the murderer’s identity until a classic final act.

Curiously, the film’s weakest link is the brilliant mind in charge of the case: a dashingly tailored sleuth played by Daniel Craig (above).

It’s a self-consciously showy turn a la Hercule Poirot without the Belgian’s psychological and emotional complexity.

Supporting performances are more convincing including Collette’s droll lifestyle doyenne.

Wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) presides over a motley crew of dysfunctional relatives, who have their beady eyes on his vast fortune.

They include daughter Linda (Curtis) and her husband Richard (Don Johnson), son Walter (Shannon) and his wife Donna (Riki Lindhome), widowed daughter-in-law Joni (Collette) and three grandchildren.

The cantankerous old coot invites his kin to an 85th birthday party at his mansion but festivities are cut short by recriminations.

Later that same night, the novelist apparently commits suicide by slitting his throat with a ceremonial dagger.

Detective Lieutenant Elliott and Trooper Wagner attend the scene, while quixotic private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) hovers in the background. Knives Out enjoys pulling the rug from under us as characters’ ulterior motives are exposed.

Pieces of an elaborate puzzle slot satisfyingly into place as the ensemble cast conceal deviousness and greed behind angelic smiles.

Many suspects fall from grace with a thud but Johnson’s entertaining picture stays firmly upright.