There hasn’t been a good murder mystery movie since Gone Girl. In fact, the “murder mystery” genre has been decaying ever so slowly thanks to predictable plots, terrible twists, and Adam Sandler. But the genre may not be murdered after all, and we now rely on writer and director Rian Johnson to revamp the murder mystery genre with his new film, Knives Out.

When fiction writer Harland Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) commits suicide, world-renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously called to investigate. He suspects foul play and decides to look deeper into the mystery of why Harland died, investigating the motives of each member of the Thrombey name: Harland’s oldest daughter, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), cheating husband, Richard (Don Johnson), and troublesome son, Ransom (Chris Evans). Blanc further invenstigates his daughter-in-law and beauty guru, Joni (Toni Collete) and extreme left-wing daughter, Meg (Katherine Langford), youngest son and owner of Harland’s publishing company, Walt (Michael Shannon), and extreme right-wing son, Jacob (Jaeden Martell). Aided by the skeptical Lieutenant Elliot (LaKeith Stanfield), the dimwitted fanboy Trooper Wagner (Noah Egan), and Harland’s nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), Blanc is determined to solve the mystery and determine if Harland really did commit suicide or if he was brutally murdered. 

Knives Out proves Rian Johnson as a formidable writer-director, especially since backlash over his direction of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. An incredibly amazing cast (with knockout performances from Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, and Daniel Craig), a great score, and a twist that isn’t too mind-blowing, but it should shock you anyways. This film is a fun treat that you should totally see in theaters while you can.

GRADE: A-