Back in the day, whodunits appeared with great regularity on both televisions and movie screens. With the cinema, audiences ate up mysteries such as Chinatown, Basic Instinct, Gosford Park, The Gift, and In the Heat of the Night. These films didn’t need massive explosions, death-defying stunts, or even high-wattage movie stars. All they needed were a twisty script, actors game to play either a possible suspect or a relentless sleuth, and a director who could simultaneously crank up the tension and play fair with clues.

Things are different now. Whodunits are still all over the place on television networks and streaming services,* since the format lends itself to TV viewing habits.** Movies, whatever that happens to mean, are a different beast. Traditional studios have largely stopped producing mid-budget films designed for theatrical release, in favor of horror, animated fare and gargantuan blockbusters. 

From a cinematic standpoint, whodunits looked to be toast. Then along came 2019’s Knives Out. Not a lot of directors can take credit for reviving an entire genre. Rian Johnson can, though. The film made a trainload of money , revitalized the genre, and audiences were all over it. Johnson followed it up with Glass Onion in 2022. Now we have the third film in the Benoit Blanc series, Wake Up Dead Man.

We’re introduced to Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), a young priest and former boxer. We know he’s a boxer because he punches out a mouthy priest. Jud’s mentor (Jeffrey Wright in an outstanding cameo) reassigns him to the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude in the isolated New York town of Chimney Rock. He’ll assist the priest there.

This is not an improvement for Jud’s fortunes, mainly due to Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). In the grand tradition of twenty-first century Christianity, Wicks preaches anger, division, and judgment to his tiny flock. Wicks also enjoys playing mind games with Jud. Soon Jud learns from Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), one of Wicks’ devotees and the church clerk, that Wicks is connected to a missing fortune.

Then, inconveniently for everyone involved, Wicks turns up dead. It’s a scenario where it’s nearly impossible for Wicks to have been murdered in the first place. Even more inconvenient is the fact that Jud is the initial suspect. The web of suspicion mounts, and the suspects are:

• Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), the town’s alcoholic doctor.
• Vera Draven (Kerry Washington), a resentful attorney.
• Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack), the “adopted son” of Vera’s, a failed MAGA politician and a current influencer.
• Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), a science fiction writer dedicated to writing a hagiography of Wicks.
• Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), a cellist afflicted with chronic pain who searches for a miracle.
• Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church), the parish groundskeeper who idolizes Wicks and casts a fond eye toward Martha.

The murder might not be a perfect crime, but it’ll do until one shows up. Police Chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) is a good cop, but she knows this case is something different. She’ll need help, a specialist. That’s why she calls in the celebrated detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). Jud and Blanc will begin an investigation that’s far stranger than they can possibly imagine.

Director Rian Johnson has said in interviews that he’d be happy to keep making mysteries as long as he and Daniel Craig are physically able to do so. I’m extremely okay with that, since Wake Up Dead Man is a strong contender to be the best in the Benoit Blanc series. Johnson’s filmmaking is exceptionally handsome, and he makes the most out of an isolated cathedral, deep woods, and an amusing Devil-themed bar. For a film that’s nearly two and a half hours long, it never drags. The pacing is lively and quick, and it thrums with energy.

Good screenwriting needs to simultaneously focus on plot, character, and theme. We need to know what’s happening, care about who’s involved, and understand what it all means. Johnson’s screenplay masterfully achieves all three objectives. With his plot, he lays out the mystery and the stakes, shows us clues, and always plays fair with reveals. With his characters, Johnson efficiently shows us who everyone is through their behavior, and we know what they want and what happens if they fail. As far as themes, Johnson isn’t afraid to ask big questions. Is there a place for real Christianity in a combative and angry world? Is it better to open the gates or fortify the walls? How do you have faith when it feels like there’s nobody to put your faith in? The sharp screenwriting digs into all that without being preachy, and unsurprisingly, lightens things up with a clever sense of humor.

This being part of the Knives Out franchise, you know we’re dealing with an exquisitely stacked cast. Everyone understands the kind of movie they’re in and calibrates their performances accordingly. Josh Brolin continues to have a great year, and his Wicks is no exception. He’s bombastic, furious, and gleefully cruel. Mila Kunis’ Scott is an interesting authority figure counterpoint, and she plays a cop who’s steely and quietly competent. But the film’s two standouts are Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor. As strong a James Bond as Craig was, Benoit Blanc feels like the role he was born to play. Craig clearly is having a blast with his rakish investigator, and he steals nearly every scene he’s in. O’Connor, though, is the heart of the film. As Jud, he’s perhaps the only person in the film painfully aware of his flaws and determined to overcome them. The old cinematic cliche of the fighting priest has been dormant for a long time. O’Connor resurrects it with quiet style and soul.

I have no idea what’s going to come in the evolution, or de-evolution, of movies. I do know that it’s a good sign when whodunits, a genre that’s traditionally cerebral and character-focused, make a strong comeback. We have Rian Johnson and Wake Up Dead Man to thank for that. Whether you see it theatrically on November 26, or stream it on Netflix December 12, do yourself a favor and see it. 

*One of the very best is David Fincher’s Mindhunter, a series about the creation of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. 

**Is it also because they’re less expensive to produce? I don’t know the answer to that, and part of my confusion stems from Netflix’s cancellation of Mindhunter after the second season due to its massive budget.

Tim Brennan Movie Critic

Tim has been alarmingly enthusiastic about movies ever since childhood. He grew up in Boulder and, foolishly, left Colorado to study Communications in Washington State. Making matters worse, he moved to Connecticut after meeting his too-good-for-him wife. Drawn by the Rockies and a mild climate, he triumphantly returned and settled down back in Boulder County. He's written numerous screenplays, loves hiking, and embarrassed himself in front of Samuel L. Jackson. True story.