Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Jannelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Noah Segan, Jackie Hoffman, Dallas Roberts
Running Time: 139 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

What's immediately obvious about Rian Johnson's much anticipated Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion, is just how wildly different it is from its predecessor. Whereas the 2019 original boasted a carefully constructed but relatively straightforward mystery plot, there are few more extra layers to peel back here, making good on its title. It's bigger, messier and more bitingly satirical, with a very recognizable all-star cast throwing themselves into their wildly eccentric characters. More elaborate and convoluted than the first film, an inordinate amount of time is spent establishing the suspects, and we're so caught up in their crazily flawed personalities that when the actual murder comes, it almost seems like an intrusion. And that's not even the real crime, but instead a gateway leading down another rabbit hole.

It's only when Johnson pulls the proverbial trigger that you realize all of this was less set-up than actual story, brimming with substantial clues you wouldn't think to notice the first time around. Flashing back to fill in the gaps, we realize the killing in question is just a small piece of a much larger puzzle, though certainly not an unsolvable one for Daniel Craig's super sleuth Benoit Blanc. There's probably little reason to rewatch the film knowing how everything plays out, but it earns points for timeliness, incorporating some really hot button issues ripe for parody. More broadly comedic and far from flawless, it still does what's necessary really well, resulting in a worthy, entertaining follow-up.

When Miles Bron (Edward Norton), billionaire co-founder of the Alpha technology company decides to host a murder mystery weekend getaway at his mansion, the Glass Onion, in Greece, he sends an elaborate wooden puzzle box invites to five friends. Among the recipients are Alpha's head scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.), Connecticut governor Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), famous fashion designer Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson), men's rights influencer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) and ousted Alpha co-founder Cassandra "Andi" Brand (Jannelle Monáe). Birdie's handler and assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick) and Duke's girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline) also come along, but the true outlier is famed private investigator Benoit Blanc (Craig), whose presence Miles immediately questions despite brandishing an invitation. 

Each of the guests (or "disruptors" as Miles endearingly calls them) seem to share a unique history or parasitic relationship with their host, whose intentions to stage a mystery game revolving around his own murder are quickly derailed when more serious issues concerning his company and the attendees' intentions surface. All isn't what it seems, especially when it comes to his future plans for Alpha and ex-CEO Andi's inexplicable invite. Someone will be murdered on Miles' private island before the weekend ends, and it'll be up to Blanc to not only uncover the killer, but their motivation. Then he'll have to prove it. 

Johnson's taking shots at the easiest possible targets in wealthy, elite weirdos, but that still doesn't make it any less funny or true. Norton's Miles is clearly an Elon Musk stand-in, with maybe just a pinch of other narcissistic billionaires like Jeff Bezos thrown in for good measure. But mostly, it's Musk. Norton hasn't played a role even vaguely resembling this so it's fun to see him tear into it, as Miles pretentiously talks in pointless platitudes, reiterating to anyone willing to listen how this technology will change the world and they should be grateful for his existence. These "friends" are all in, largely because they're hanger-ons whose entire lives, careers and financial endeavors depend on him. 

No one exactly likes Miles, but he's their meal ticket, so the gang doesn't see much choice in the matter, bending over backwards to make him happy. Of course, Blanc sniffs that out right away, recognizing the pompous billionaire as a potential target whose mystery game could soon turn very real. But there's still a lot we don't know, and most of the fun comes in that info slowly slipping out. And set against a spectacular visual backdrop from production designer Rick Heinrichs that encapsulates Miles' opulent oddball sensibilities, the Glass Onion compound could be considered as memorable a character as the selfish people inhabiting it for the weekend.

The loaded cast have their moments to shine, with some leaving larger impressions than others. As ditzy, airheaded fashion magnate Birdie, Hudson probably has the meatiest supporting role, and one that comes closest to approximating the kind of part her mom would have played decades earlier. She does well with it, as does a quietly scene-stealing Jessica Henwick as her exasperated assistant, seemingly always a minute away from quitting. She also gives the single best line delivery in the film upon discovering the true extent of her boss's stupidity. 

As a chauvinistic social media streamer, Bautista plays somewhat of an entitled jerk for a change, but finds a lot more in the character as his arc progresses, earning a certain degree of empathy for Duke, who's yet another pawn in Miles' game. Madelyne Cline brings more to the table than expected as Duke's girlfriend Whiskey, adding some needed dimension to what could have been a throwaway role. And the always great Kathryn Hahn is dependably sarcastic and hilarious as the image-conscious politician, leaving Leslie Odom Jr. with probably the least to do as Miles' loyal scientist, even as he still makes the most of it. There are also some clever cameos, two in particular marking final screen appearances for a pair of legends.

In a breakout comparable to Ana de Armas' in the original, Jannelle Monáe outright hijacks the movie as Andi, the ex-CEO with a grudge to settle with Miles and maybe a few others. It's established early that the question is less why she's been invited, but her motivation in accepting. Their history is at the core of the case and it gradually becomes apparent just how tricky a role Monáe has, sort of a performance within a performance, calling on her to constantly balance comedy and drama while also carrying a large load of intense action scenes. She basically does it all as the most intriguing and mysterious character of the group, driven by intentions that differ from anyone else. Craig's dry humor is probably the most noticeable carry over from the previous film, and seems to gain even more mileage this time. Blanc's kind of a suaver Columbo in that the crazier things get, the more nonchalant he appears to be, even as we know the wheels are always turning in his head and the true culprit rarely stands a chance of outwitting the master. 

Despite a bloated length and some early rough patches, enough is done at the midway point to justify much of what came earlier. The plot of the first may have been tighter, but Glass Onion makes up for it with ambition, sticking a landing that's less dependent on evidence and clues than pure unbridled revenge and emotion. It's a sequel with a point to make, with Johnson unafraid of foregoing more conventional, predictable routes in getting there. He knows the most interesting part of a whodunnit isn't the crime, but all the little details surrounding it.           

One Night in Miami

Director: Regina King
Starring: Kingley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance Reddick, Christian Magby, Joaquina Kalukango, Nicolette Robinson, Michael Imperioli, Lawrence Gilliard Jr, Beau Bridges, Jeremy Pope, Christopher Gorham
Running Time: 114 min.
Rating: R 

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

When an actor commits to playing any well known cultural figure you have to think they're wondering what they've gotten themselves into. There has to be a great deal of nervous excitment that accompanies doing a real person justice while still managing not to engage in mimicry, making them at least somewhat a creation of your own. But if there's one thing we absolutely know for sure it's that no matter how well this is done, it will never make everyone happy. Now imagine four such performances within a single film, all intersecting with each other in a fictionalized scenario you could easily believe took place.

With One Night in Miami, actress and first-time feature director Regina King is not only tasked with overcoming all these challenges in bringing Kemp Powers' stage play of the same name to the screen, but also injecting an exciting cinematic flavor into a plot that revolves around four men talking and arguing in a hotel room. And while that might be the laziest, most superficially inaccurate description of what actually occurs, King will still have to answer to skeptics who feel she's merely transposing a wordy stage play, regardless of the few techniques available to open things up and break free from those constraints. 

There are limitations to be sure, but most of those are invisible since we're just too involved in these characters and what they distinctively stand for to care. The ground it covers feels and is important, with the four exceptional performances carrying it likely to offset any allegations that the material feels too "stagey." Each bring something completely different to the table in what ends up being the most facinating of speculative excercises, with Powers' script capturing how such a historic encounter could have possibly unfolded given what's publicly and privately known about the famous personalities involved. But more importantly, it gives us what sometimes even the best biopics don't by going beyond a character study to give us a snapshot in time.

It's February 25, 1964 when boxer Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), soul singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), NFL player Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) and human rights activist Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir) are  in Miami celebrating what ends up being Clay's upset title win over Sonny Liston. Each of them are at a crossroads, with newly crowned heavyweight champion Clay in the process of converting to Islam, unaware friend and spiritual mentor Malcolm is on the cusp of leaving the Nation of Islam after falling out with leader Elijah Muhammad. Cooke's starting to quietly question his choices on the heels of a disastrous performance in front of an all-white audience at New York's Copacabana, while Brown may be leaving football to pursue an acting career after wrapping a major movie production.  

Thinking that Malcolm gathered them all for a fun night of drinking and debauchery to celebrate Clay's win, the guys are disappointed to discover there's not a woman in sight and it'll be just the three of them. But what initially starts as some joshing and self-congratulatory back-slapping amongst friends turns uglier when Malcolm accuses Cooke of selling out by pandering to white audiences. Soon, a full-on debate breaks out, the fallout of which will leave a lasting impact on all four men when they go back into a world they're still not accepted in, regardless of their succcesses. And now, they're wondering whether they can ever agree what to do about it, or whether they even need to be on the exact same page to help initiate the sweeping societal change they're seeking. 

One of the most chilling scenes occurs early when Jim Brown visits a family friend (played by Beau Bridges) back home in Georgia in what initially appears to be a positive encounter, with this man showering the football star with praise. That is until Brown's harshly reminded that nothing is what it seems and however highly white people may think of what he accomplishes on the field, he'll still always be viewed as less than. It's a particularly stinging moment, earning all its intended shocks from the fact that it shouldn't be all that surprising given what we know. And yet the tossed aside nonchalance of this man's racial slur is a far more damaging blow than any landed in the Clay vs. Liston match. It's also impossible to forget when considering Brown's viewpoints and demeanor during the hotel room conversations to come.

With Hodge proving to be a subtly commanding presence as Brown, it's just as surreal seeing Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr. capture Sam Cooke's trademark mannerisms and smooth disposition, even in that startling early moment when he's bombing on stage. Ali, of course is the most predictable of the four, if not the most entertaining, with Eli Goree enthusiastically conveying his bombastic, larger than life, catchphrase-spewing personality. But he adds an intriguing extra layer, as the boxer's uncontrollable ego masks genuine apprehension, if not fear, at his possible decision to convert and fully put his trust in Malcolm.

British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir's take on the civil rights leader fully distinguishes itself as seemingly having nothing in common with any that came before, including Denzel Washington's nominated turn in 1992's Malcolm X. If Ben-Adir at first glance appears almost low-key for the role, that might be the point, breaking free from the "angry" stigma that's always followed Malcolm in most other media interpretations. Of course, this isn't to say he isn't mad, but it's still kind of surprising to see just how quiet and contemplative King has Ben-Adir play it, spending much of the picture paralyzed by the thought that the clock's ticking on his life. Unfortunately, he's correct, but it's compelling to see that version of him, constantly looking over his shoulder, realizing the need to insure a future he won't live to see. You can sense it in every scene and his blow-up with Cooke seems as motivated by that as anything else. It's here where he brings the fury, forced to let it all out on his friend, someone whom he genuinly respects, despite their differences in approach.

Cooke and Malcolm's verbal battle leads to two of the more transformative moments, one involving the latter using Bob Dylan to somewhat cruelly, if truthfully, make the boldest of points, and a flashback that shows the breadth of Cooke's gifts as a performer and improvisational abilities. Given his greatest success resulted from a protest song, we're led to believe Malcolm's intentions were sound, pulling something out of the singer that may not have otherwise surfaced. Cooke used monetary success as a measuring stick for equality, but it wasn't until he turned his attention to a cause that the pieces fell into place for him. But by then, it was already too late. 

All of this is because of a hotel meeting you'd be forgiven for forgetting never happened. That it feels like it did is exactly why the film works, bringing authenticity to an event that, despite its intimate scale, feels much bigger, further underlining the tumultuous decade during which it took place. In many ways it's the ideal rebuttal to the many criticized Oscar-nominated films of years past that faced backlash for its whitewashing of history. One Night in Miami represents the complete inverse, using a fictionalized account to tell a truthful story about four men whose success should seem like a complete anomaly given the roadblocks put in their way.