WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
(12A) 143mins
★★★★☆
IT’S no mystery why the Knives Out franchise is so adored.
The eccentric Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is the perfect mastermind detective to solve another all-star murder mystery.
Once again written and directed by Rian Johnson, this third film in the unofficial trilogy sees Blanc sweeping in to solve the seemingly unsolvable.
Set in the small, upstate New York community of Chimney Rock, young priest Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) has been placed in a junior role alongside Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin).
Popular gig
Jud is described as “young, dumb and full of Christ”, while Jefferson holds court, preaching in his church to a small but very devoted congregation.
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They include church worker Martha (Glenn Close), long-suffering lawyer Vera (Kerry Washington), social media-obsessed Cy (Daryl McCormack), disabled cellist Simone (Cailee Spaeny), heartbroken doctor Nat (Jeremy Renner) and an author with writer’s block, Lee (Andrew Scott).
As you can see, it’s a crowded field of big names.
Jud’s arrival in the parish provides a fresh set of eyes on the growing resentments between the regulars — and the hold that Jefferson has over them.
But after the shocking death of his boss during a service, Jud finds himself having to prove his innocence — with the help of Blanc.
This is where the film really kicks into gear.
And through many of the twists and turns as the mystery plays out, I truly didn’t know how this murder was going to be solved.
Fans of the star cast might feel a little frustrated that they don’t get much airtime but, hey, it’s clearly a popular gig.
There’s careful thought gone into the depiction of people’s different relationships with religion, showing that it can be weaponised by the Far Right or bring shame to individuals.
O’Connor shows himself as not only a superb dramatic actor, but one with great comic timing.
Craig’s detective remains as creative and unaffected as he was in the previous films — which are never referred to — and it’s great fun watching his brain work out the complexities of the case.
A perfect whodunnit for the family to fight over this Christmas.
In cinemas now. On Netflix from December 12.
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CHRISTY
(15) 135mins
★★★☆☆
BASED on the story of Nineties female American boxer Christy Martin, this serviceable but long biopic sees a robust performance from Sydney Sweeney.
Directed and co-written by David Michod, alongside screenwriter Mirrah Foulkes, it follows Christy’s rise while exploring her controlling, sometimes scary, trainer who later became her husband.
Christy is shown as constantly battling, first as a fighter, then to survive her husband Jim’s coercion.
Ben Foster knocks it out of the park as Jim. He brings an intensity that makes even the film’s quieter scenes feel tense.
Merritt Wever is equally impressive as Christy’s conservative mum, Joyce, who unknowingly enabled her daughter’s coercion.
Michod stages the boxing with authenticity but without getting lost in technical detail.
The pace lags at times but the film succeeds as a portrait of resilience – less about championship belts than fighting for the right to define your own life.
At nearly two-and-a-half hours, it may test the patience, but the cast give the story just enough grit to pull this off.
Expect plenty of nominations for Foster.
STILL PUSHING PINEAPPLES
(12A) 93mins
★★★★☆
THERE’S not much more British than dancing around to Agadoo after a game of bingo in Blackpool.
Which is exactly what happens in this sweet, and often sad, documentary about Dene Michael, a member of novelty band Black Lace, who filled discos with their silly songs back in the 1980s.
Dene, from Leeds, now lives with his elderly mum who dreams of seeing Benidorm one more time.
The pair decide to drive there in a camper van along with his new girlfriend Hayley, who is so devoted to Dene she gets a large tattoo of his face on her arm within the first month of their romance because “when you know, you know”.
Dene often feels like a Ricky Gervais creation – a character in his own tragic comedy. But there’s plenty to warm the heart.
There is also great sadness, with Dene being fired by his manager who owns the rights to Black Lace’s songs and name.
Directed by the brilliant Kim Hopkins, whose 2022 documentary A Bunch Of Amateurs was a work of art, this is a great insight into the fickle and addictive world of showbiz.
