Glass Onion Twists the Knife
Sometimes you know you’re in good hands.
Rian Johnson’s follow up to 2019’s sharp murder mystery, Knives Out, continues the hysterical pace while smoothly adapting its setting and social targets. Glass Onion is even wittier than Benoit Blanc’s previous case.
In the peak of the pandemic, our affable detective Blanc (played again with smirking delight by Daniel Craig) finds himself the recipient of a mysterious box. Never deterred by a puzzle, Blanc works through the box’s intricacies to find an invite to a retreat on a private Greek island owned by tech industrialist Miles Bron (Edward Norton).
But Blanc’s not the only one attending this decadent party. A number of Miles’ friends and fellow disruptors have received boxes of their own: Kate Hudson’s Birdie, a social media influencer with loud opinions and a faltering sense of restraint; Dave Bautista’s Duke, a streamer who spends his days working out and hawking views on mens’ rights; Kathryn Hahn’s Clare, a politician who seems comparatively level headed; Leslie Odom Jr.’s Lionel, a cutting edge researcher who works for Bron; and Janelle Monáe’s Cassandra, Bron’s former partner who had the company stolen from under her feet.
They are all here for a weekend of Saronic sunshine and revelry—but they are not all shown the same welcome. Cassandra’s presence seems to be its own disruption in this group of friends, her steely gaze and pointed silence keeping them off balance. Even Blanc’s addition is a mystery, as Bron insists he didn’t invite him. Bron won’t let that stop them from having a good time, however, and he soon reveals the real motive for this retreat: To solve the puzzle of his own murder.
Pretend murder, that is. We’re here for the most lavish murder mystery game money can buy. But we know what we’re here for, and so does Johnson. There’s enough avarice and impeachable motive to go around on this island, and we don’t expect to wait long before this game turns into a bloody reality.
Audience expectations are a tricky thing with any murder mystery, let alone one that seeks to rework the formula with contemporary aims. Two films in, Johnson has shown he can do so with skill and incision while maintaining a classical sense. In that respect, Glass Onion is a greater feat than Knives Out; where the former film could make its cozy home in the familiar trappings of a gothic estate and family drama, Glass Onion must adapt its wit to the particular culture of influencers, podcasters, venture capitalists, and tech billionaires.
As with Knives Out, Johnson’s sharpest decisions begin with his casting. Each person paints a convincing portrait that allows them to be borderline insufferable while still delightfully fun to laugh at. Norton has played characters silly, charming, and slimy throughout his career, and he imbues Miles Bron with a muddy mix of all of these traits. Kate Hudson unleashes the biggest performance and generates the biggest laughs as Birdie. Meanwhile, Kathryn Hahn’s weary frustration at the foolishness on display around her makes her a bit more sympathetic—but only a bit.
It would be no surprise to say that Johnson aims to upend expectations with the story, as well. It’s a murder mystery, after all: there will be twists. He’s effective at sleight of hand, turning the plot on its side—or peeling back a few layers of onion?—halfway through the film. Only then do we understand the actual mystery and stakes at the core of the film.
The script is sharper on the level of its jokes than its unfolding mystery, but that’s no slight. In fact, the best surprise about Johnson’s Benoit Blanc stories is that he puts true craft into the humor. The mystery genre often settles for small, knowing chuckles in lieu of genuine laughs. But with Glass Onion, there are even more joke machinations going on than twists. Early asides come back to deliver unexpected punches, and there are always more layers of hidden jokes to unveil. (I didn’t expect that my favorite funny moment of the year would end in a duel between jokes involving either Gravity’s Rainbow or Norton cosplaying Magnolia era Tom Cruise.)
The plot is less surprising in its final reveal and themes, but that’s partially by design. These movies wear their morals on their sleeves, lambasting the tech messianism and influencer idolatry that runs amok online and in our culture. Then again, while it seems an obvious critique, we seem to deafen our ears to it after every scandal and downfall.
Glass Onion is the funniest film of the year and one of the most refreshing. It gives a smart director and a richly talented cast the creative space to play around. It also cuts a new course for classically styled mysteries, signaling a path that I hope more follow.
