Stylish Films: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

The first Knives Out film was a joy, a slightly old fashioned murder mystery with a country house setting, a slightly eccentric detective leading the investigation, and a star studded cast of suspects. An Agatha Christie tale for the 21st Century. I loved it, but I actually think the second in the series (and fingers crossed that it will be a long running series) is even better.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, has kept the slightly eccentric detective and the star studded cast of victims and suspects, but has moved the action to a stunning, sun soaked but remote Greek Island, giving all those Agatha Christie ‘Evil under the Sun‘ and ‘And then there were none‘ vibes all over again. It is a blast of sunshine much needed as we hit the post Christmas January gloom, and is a hoot, with a talented cast who are clearly enjoying playing their over the top characters. From the minute you are introduced to the cast as they are invited to a special gathering on the Greek Island with its ‘Glass Onion’ mansion at its heart, you are intrigued to see what sort of person lies at the heart of this mystery, and if he is really based on a certain millionaire Twitter owner.

Glass Onion of course has the brilliant, eccentric detective Benoit Blanc at its heart. Played with Southern drawl and attitude, this is Daniel Craig almost making fun of his tough James Bond persona. You only have to check out Blanc’s beach attire to know that this is definitely more Hercule Poirot than 007, and that’s what makes it so delicious, and just so fun. Blanc will solve the crime, but it will be with a ‘just one more thing’ style investigation and denouement, rather than a shootout.

But Glass Onion is about more than Mr Blanc. The cast includes the delicious Kate Hudson as Birdie, possibly the world’s stupidest star (she thinks a sweat shop makes sweat pants…) who will delight fashion fans in the most stunning, colourful dress that is actually crucial to the plot and not just there to make your eyes water. She is matched 100% in the style stakes by a stunning Janelle Monae, who is a fashion plate with outfits that, once again, remind the viewer of ‘Evil Under the Sun’s‘ Jane Birkin transformation, particularly as her story unfolds. Janelle is just brilliant in this role, an absolute standout in a cast that also includes Dave Batista, Katherine Hann and Edward Norton as the millionaire Miles Bron, the man at the heart of Glass Onion.