Rian Johnson's Knives Out series is entertaining because Daniel Craig's embodiment of the Cajun dandy and disarmingly intuitive detective Benoit Blanc is always surrounded by a posse of unlikable characters, any of whom could be the murderer, and, if we were given our druthers would all be carted off just for being despicable.
In this episode, Blanc is summoned by the police chief in sleepy Chimney Rock, New York, to investigate the "impossible" murder of the tyrannical priest Monsignor Wicks (a terrific Josh Brolin), pastor of the dwindling Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude church. The chief, played by Mila Kunis, needs Blanc to answer questions that have stumped law enforcement.
The recently arrived young and idealistic priest, Father Jud (Josh O'Connor), is accused of killing the senior priest, with whom he has had a combative relationship that has been witnessed by the church's core members, all of whom are held captive by Father Wicks' charisma or intimidation.
The death happened during Good Friday services, with Jud seemingly the only person with opportunity to kill Wicks even though the congregation was just feet away and nobody actually saw him put the knife in. The forensics of this puzzling crime are handled deftly. The interrogation of the aggrieved, greedy and guilty (Daryl McCormack's Cy, Jeremy Renner's Dr. Nat, and Glenn Close's Martha, respectively) is the usual delicious craftiness.
Johnson's Wake Up Dead Man probes issues of deception and faith, manipulation, false history and false memory, and the church's obligation to right the wrongs its prelates have allowed for generations.
O'Connor's Father Jud, an audience-pleasing mess of regret and repression, may or may not be Johnson's idea of what organized religion ultimately needs to restore confidence in its institutions, but sincere acts of contrition and compassion will do for now.
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