Knives Out as Commentary on Immigration
Knives Out, directed by Rian Johnson, is a wild mystery with plot twists at every turn that also provided me with a deeper insight into some of the flaws of American society. Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, and Christopher Plummer star in this gripping film.
The film focuses on the murder of renowned mystery writer Harlan Thornberry, played by Christopher Plummer. Detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, tries to untangle the messy web of connections each of the family members and staff has to the late Mr. Thornberry. The murder, ruled a suicide, at first appears accidental. However, as Detective Blanc tries to deduce what happened, he discovers that Mr. Thornberry’s death is only the tip of the iceberg. As the movie progresses, it becomes clear that each of the members of the Thornberry family has a darker side to their happy persona.
The first hint the viewer gets of this is during the dinner party on the night of the murder. Before the party, each of the family members is introduced as a friendly and kind-hearted person that the viewer is able to sympathize with. I even shipped Marta, Mr. Thornberry’s nurse, and one of the family members played by Chris Evans. From the outside, the family seems to be completely normal and kind. However, at the dinner party, the family members become engaged in a conversation about immigrants from Latin and South America in the US. They are split, some claiming that immigration into the US shouldn’t be allowed, while the other side simply says that the government should crack down more on illegal immigration. It became clear to me, though, that despite the claims both sides are making, they, being rich white people, are taking these stances because of the race of the immigrants. As the plot unfolds, this underlying racism becomes more and more apparent. At some points, they claim to be protecting Marta, who is a Latina immigrant. They aren’t doing this out of goodwill, though, but rather out of the idea that they are superior to her because of their race and economic status. Johnson expertly made the plot fast-paced so that at first glance, I didn’t notice the glaring prejudice fueling the family’s actions. It is one of those movies you have to watch at least twice to truly understand the tangled web of motivations and emotions that defines the main characters.
Rian Johnson’s Knives Out is a gripping movie that not only entertained me with a great mystery, but also included social commentary that made me question if any of the Thornberrys were really redeemable characters. Their actions towards Marta were caring and kind, and their relationships with one another appeared to be normal. However, their actions were based in racist motivations, and their supposedly great relationships with each other were only upheld to mask the constant power struggle in the family. Johnson expertly reveals the sad truth of the persisting influence of the White Man’s Burden to this day in American society, while also maintaining a fantastic murder mystery.
by JULIA ARNOLD