2019 Ranked
Non-2020 First Time Watches Ranked
Directors Ranked: Rian Johnson

Film #25 of The Chain Reaction Challenge

A well-written film with great performances from an all-star ensemble cast? Guys, I have no choice but to deem this a MOTHERFUCKING MASTERPIECE.

The cast here is great. Seriously, go down the list; Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Christopher Plummer, Lakeith Stanfield, Toni Collette. They're all incredible. But the three best are the three leads. Chris Evans is fantastic playing a character that we aren't used to seeing from him considering he just came off playing the goodest of good guys, Captain America. Daniel Craig is great as the 'Hercule Poirot meets Colonel Sanders' Benoit Blanc. I seem to be in the minority by enjoying his accent but I do. I dig the accent. It's hilarious. The star of this however, is someone who I previously said multiple times that I didn't think she was a good actor and that is Ana de Armas. She is fantastic in this and I am definitely not of the opinion on her acting as I once was. She has improved drastically. She has to balance this line of being believably good as a person while also having secrets and it's a line she balances to perfection.

I genuinely love the writing in this as well. In fact, the only real flaws I can think of are a couple of underwritten, potentially unnecessary characters. A small nitpick for sure. It seems pretty straightforward yet when you think you know what's going on, the film zags on you. Then when you're used to that, it zigs again. There are also little, seemingly throwaway lines throughout the first two acts that pay off the final act. And little clues throughout as well. It's brilliantly done.

I fucking love this film and can't wait for more Benoit Blanc!