‘Wake Up Dead Man’ and the series’ most personal entry yet
The film “Knives Out” (2019) and its sequel “Glass Onion” (2022) took the murder-mystery genre by storm, with Daniel Craig’s eccentric detective Benoit Blanc at the forefront of a classical whodunit—not to mention, backed by a star-studded cast featuring the likes of Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Dave Bautista, and Edward Norton.
Three years later, and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” takes it even further, with a murder-mystery that stumps both Blanc and its viewers. But through the stellar performances of Craig, Josh Brolin, and Josh O’Connor, the latest “Knives Out” film goes beyond intrigue, becoming the series’s most emotional entry yet.
Not your typical murder mystery
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” follows Father Jud Duplenticy, an ex-boxer-turned-priest (played by O’Connor), as he moves into a small-town church led by the unorthodox yet charismatic Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (played by Brolin). Amid an untimely murder, Duplenticy finds himself the suspect of an impossible crime, made even more complex by the motivations and secrets of Wicks’s closest confidants, and the murmurings of a long-lost fortune.
Outside the mystery at hand, the film also discusses how politicians and religious groups can weaponize faith to incite hate towards select groups of people.
Unlike your typical murder mystery, the third entry in the “Knives Out” series doesn’t have the “Eureka!” moment that you’d expect from such movies—think the elaborate, theatric unraveling of the case (usually akin to a monologue) done by the detective in front of all his suspects. Rather, Blanc takes a step back in this film, making way for O’Connor as both main character and scene-stealer.
The road to Damascus
“The road to Damascus” refers to Saul’s conversion, when he encountered a blinding light on his way to persecute Christians. This turns him towards God as Apostle Paul, and now serves as an allegory for sudden changes in perspective or belief. This biblical story is at the heart of the film. While it can refer to the “eureka” moments a detective would experience in any whodunit, it is best shown in O’Connor’s character, Father Jud.
Previously seen in recent films such as “Challengers” and “The History of Sound,” O’Connor was a revelation in “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.”
As an ex-boxer-turned-priest, Father Jud found faith at a low point in his life. Now part of the clergy, he seeks to be an outstretched hand to those in similar situations. A huge part of the film centers on Father Jud’s internal conflict, one where he finds that his desire to solve the murder mystery with Blanc has taken over his life and taken precedence over his role as a priest.
One scene in particular stands out: Father Jud calls an office for information of high importance to the case. The assistant receives the call and engages him in small talk, to his annoyance. But as he continues to pry for information, she asks him to pray for her due to a personal tragedy. In that moment, everything slows down for Father Jud, and he takes a moment, despite the urgency of his situation, to pray for the assistant.
He realizes that he’s lost himself in the chase. He sees that it has taken so much more from him. And O’Connor simply stole the show in this scene—and even more throughout the film—showing earnestness that can be mistaken for naivety, but a commitment to leading the life he’s chosen under God.
Following the likes of Ana de Armas and Janelle Monáe from the previous “Knives Out” entries, O’Connor undoubtedly proved his worth as the secondary lead to Craig.
Joining Craig, O’Connor, and Brolin in “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” are Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson.
