Wake Up Dead Man – Film Review

Director – Rian Johnson
Writer – Rian Johnson
Stars – Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

“Benoit Blanc returns for his most dangerous case yet” is what the blurb says. Quite why this is more dangerous than the previous two isn’t clear?

Yes, Benoit (Daniel Craig) is back in this tale of greed, betrayal and murder most foul! Fr. Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) has a difficult past, as he was a boxer before finding his way to the Lord. When he hits a Deacon, he lands before a committee to explain his actions. He is forced to serve a penance by going to a difficult parish, where Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) delivers his own unique version of the Gospels. While there, he meets a collection of oddball characters, including Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), Dr Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), sci-fi writer Lee Ross (Andrew Scott) and wannabe politician Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack). When the Monsignor is found dead under bizarre circumstances, there is only one man who can solve the crime!

This is very much Rian Johnson’s pet project, as he returns for the third instalment. He certainly knows how to get the big names involved, with many A-list actors turning up to play bit parts. Strangely, the film is narrated by Josh O’Connor, with Daniel Craig nowhere to be seen for the early segment of the film. Once he arrives, he shares screen time with Josh, who is undoubtedly the lead actor of the piece.

What film will you be watching after your Christmas dinner? I’d hazard a guess that this will be many people’s choice. The film is smart and funny, but doesn’t require too much effort to follow, despite the complications of the plot. The surprising thing is that it is possibly the best of the three films, with some impressive performances from Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin and the ever dependable Andrew Scott. Daniel Craig seems determined to chew the furniture in every scene. It’s also nice to see Daryl McCormack brushing shoulders with the A-listers. He’s come a long way since his big break in Fair City! It relies on many cliches of detective films, but that’s what makes it enjoyable, as our super sleuth does what he does best!