Knives Out Dvd

Knives Out is a 2019 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson, and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. A modern whodunit, the film follows a master detective investigating the patriarch’s death after a family gathering gone awry. The film features an ensemble cast, including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer.

Knives Out had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, and was theatrically released in the United States on November 27, 2019, by Lionsgate. The film received critical acclaim, particularly for its screenplay, direction, and acting, and grossed $309.2 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. At the 77th Golden Globe Awards, the film received three nominations in the Musical or Comedy category: Best Motion Picture, Best Actor for Craig, and Best Actress for de Armas. It also received Best Original Screenplay nominations at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards and 92nd Academy Awards. It was also selected by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2019.

Lionsgate announced in February 2020 that a sequel with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Blanc was in development.

Plot

Wealthy mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey invites his family to his Massachusetts mansion for his 85th birthday party. The next morning, Harlan’s housekeeper Fran finds him dead, with his throat slit. The police believe it was suicide, but an anonymous party pays private eye Benoit Blanc to investigate.

Blanc learns that Harlan’s relationships with his family were strained: he threatened to expose his son-in-law Richard for cheating on his wife, Harlan’s daughter Linda; cut off his daughter-in-law Joni’s allowance for stealing from him; fired his son Walt from his publishing company; and had an altercation with his grandson Ransom.

Unbeknownst to Blanc, after the party, Harlan’s nurse Marta Cabrera apparently administered him an overdose of morphine by accident instead of his usual medication and could not find the antidote, leaving Harlan minutes to live. Knowing that Marta’s mother is an undocumented immigrant, Harlan prevented her from calling for help and instead gave her instructions to create a false alibi to save her family from scrutiny. Harlan then slit his own throat. Harlan’s elderly mother saw Marta carrying out Harlan’s instructions but mistook her for Ransom.

Marta cannot lie without vomiting, so she gives true but incomplete answers when Blanc questions her. After agreeing to assist in Blanc’s investigation, Marta conceals evidence of her actions as they search the property.

Harlan’s will is read: to everyone’s astonishment, he left everything to Marta. Ransom helps her escape the family’s wrath. Ransom coerces Marta into confessing to him and offers his help in exchange for a share of the inheritance. The other Thrombeys try to persuade Marta to renounce the inheritance; Walt threatens to expose her mother’s immigration status.

Marta receives an anonymous blackmail note with a partial photocopy of Harlan’s toxicology report. She and Ransom drive to the medical examiner’s office, but the building has been destroyed by arson. Marta receives an anonymous email proposing a rendezvous with the blackmailer. Blanc and the police spot Marta and Ransom, and after a brief car chase, Ransom is arrested; Blanc explains that Harlan’s mother saw Ransom climbing down from Harlan’s room the night he died.

Marta goes to the rendezvous and discovers Fran drugged. Marta hesitates, realizing that Fran can link her to the crime, but performs CPR on Fran and calls 911. Marta confesses to Blanc, but Ransom has already informed on her. At the house, Marta finds a copy of the full toxicology report hidden in Fran’s cannabis stash. Blanc reads it and interrupts Marta before she can confess to the family that her error caused Harlan’s death.

Blanc reveals his deductions: Ransom had learned that Harlan was leaving everything to Marta; he swapped the contents of Harlan’s medication vials and stole the antidote so Marta would kill Harlan with a morphine overdose, making her ineligible to claim the inheritance by the slayer rule. However, Marta actually administered the correct medication, recognizing it by its viscosity without reading the label, and therefore is innocent of Harlan’s death. After the death was reported a suicide, Ransom anonymously hired Blanc to expose Marta as a murderer. Fran later saw Ransom hiding evidence and sent him the blackmail note. Realizing that Marta had unknowingly given Harlan the correct medication but believed herself guilty, Ransom forwarded the note to Marta. He burned down the medical examiner’s office to destroy evidence of Marta’s innocence. Finally, he overdosed Fran with morphine and emailed her location to Marta, planning to frame Marta for Fran’s murder.

Marta tricks Ransom into confessing by lying that Fran has survived and will implicate him; after he confesses and vows revenge, she vomits on him, revealing that Fran has in fact died. Enraged, he attacks her with what turns out to be a retractable stage knife. Having recorded Ransom’s confession, the police arrest him.

Blanc reveals to Marta that he realized early on that she played a part in Harlan’s death, noting a small spot of blood on one of her shoes. Linda finds a note from Harlan revealing her husband’s adultery. As Ransom is taken into custody, Marta watches the Thrombeys from the balcony of what is now her mansion.

Cast

Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc: A world-famous private detective anonymously hired to solve Harlan’s case
Chris Evans as Hugh Ransom Drysdale: Harlan’s grandson (Linda and Richard’s son), a spoiled playboy
Ana de Armas as Marta Cabrera: Harlan’s nurse and close friend
Jamie Lee Curtis as Linda Drysdale: Harlan’s eldest child, a real estate mogul
Michael Shannon as Walt Thrombey: Harlan’s youngest child, Harlan’s publishing company CEO
Don Johnson as Richard Drysdale: Harlan’s son-in-law (Linda’s husband)
Toni Collette as Joni Thrombey: Harlan’s daughter-in-law (widow of Neil, Harlan’s middle child), a lifestyle guru
Lakeith Stanfield as Detective Lieutenant Elliott: A local police detective
Katherine Langford as Meg Thrombey: Harlan’s granddaughter (Joni and Neil’s daughter), a liberal college student
Jaeden Martell as Jacob Thrombey: Harlan’s grandson (Walt and Donna’s son), an alt-right youth
Christopher Plummer as Harlan Thrombey: A wealthy mystery novelist found dead after his 85th birthday party
Riki Lindhome as Donna Thrombey: Harlan’s daughter-in-law (Walt’s wife)
Edi Patterson as Fran: Harlan’s housekeeper, who discovers Harlan’s body
Frank Oz as Alan Stevens: Harlan’s lawyer
K Callan as Wanetta “Great Nana” Thrombey: Harlan’s seemingly senile centenarian mother
Noah Segan as Trooper Wagner: A detective for the Massachusetts State Police, and fan of Harlan’s books
M. Emmet Walsh as Mr. Proofroc: Harlan’s groundskeeper
Marlene Forte as Mrs. Cabrera: Marta’s mother
Shyrley Rodriguez as Alicia Cabrera: Marta’s sister
Kerry Frances as Sally: Alan’s assistant
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Detective Hardrock (voice cameo)