“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” – Entertaining Whodunit
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” is an entertaining whodunit with a high-powered cast. It is highly recommended. If people thought that “Glass Onion” was a bit too strange following the breakout success of “Knives Out,” the third Rian Johnson film in what is now a full-blown franchise. “Wake Up Dead Man” is a correction to that “vacation mystery” tone. It is chilly, windy, and overcast in this entertaining gem, but there is a light for every darkness. The star power helps this picture. Do you think you will see “Wake Up Dead Man?”
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” Plot
The lead in “Wake Up Dead Man” is Reverend Jud Dupenticy (Josh O’Connor), a young priest who is sent to a troubled New York parish. The young reverend ends up working with the sloppy Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), a monster of a man who believes in ruling with an iron fist and angry words.
The Monsignor preaches from a pulpit of fire, using tools like shame and guilt to keep people under control. He tries to make new people leave the church. He argues with Jud that their very faith is under attack during each confession he gives, where he lies. The dynamic between these two makes “Wake Up Dead Man” an entertaining movie until the Monsignor is murdered. The surprise killer is revealed only at the very end of the movie.
We also meet the monsignor’s most loyal followers, who are a very entertaining and attractive supporting cast. They include Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), the Parish secretary. Groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church) is a quiet man and a baseball fan. Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner) lost his wife, which gave him a motive.
Lee Ross (Andrew Scott) is a former hit writer who has become obsessed with internet conspiracies. Simone (Cailee Spaeny) believes Wicks can cure her chronic pain. Vera Draven (Kerry Washington) resents taking care of her awful half-brother Cy (Daryl McCormack), an aspiring politician who believes in weaponizing online outrage, using social media as his own kind of pulpit.
Those are the candidate conspirators. It will not be revealed here who committed the murder, but the guilty party, revealed at the end of the movie, is a surprise. Jeffrey Wright, Mila Kunis, and a wonderfully effective Bridget Everett fill out an expectedly great ensemble.
In “Wake Up Dead Man,” all of the suspects have compelling motives, and viewers are led to believe Reverend Jud Dupenticy is the murderer. After all, he did kill a man as a boxer early in his life. He is even convinced he committed a murder and is going to confess it, when the plot turns.
Movie Going Experience
The movie theater was crowded on this holiday weekend. As usual, the concession prices were outrageous. This movie is two hours and twenty minutes long. It was entertaining, despite the full house, and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” was the right length to ward off trips to the restroom mid-movie. The movie will be on Netflix on December 12, so that may be a better option for the reader, though seeing this movie in the movie theater was not too bad.
Conclusion
“Wake Up Dead Man” is an entertaining movie and is recommended. It may be worth waiting a couple of weeks to view the movie on Netflix in the comfort of your own home. This is not the type of movie with sweeping cinematic views that make seeing it on the big screen a must, but this is definitely a movie you should see. Viewers do not have to have seen the previous installments of “Knives Out” to follow along with this one.
