TIFF: Knives Out (2019) It is no surprise that Rian Johnson enjoys his genre films, particularly those involving mysteries, twists and intricate plots. We have already seen him tackle classic noir with Brick and the big con with The Brothers Bloom, and with this year's Knives Out he moves on to an even older mystery genre - the detective caper. Like Brick did for Raymond Chandler, Knives Out is a contemporary retelling of a Christie or Conan Doyle story involving a high profile death, a cast of exaggerated characters - each with an intriguing backstory rife with possible motive - and, of course, a renowned detective. For the most part Johnson hits all of the right notes with this film, although the back half tends to meander more and loses some of its momentum as the plot focuses down on only a few of the characters as well as some long-winded exposition and explanation that guides the final moments. There is a lot to enjoy with Knives Out. As many have seen in trailer or pos...
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