'Wake Up Dead Man' twists faith, secrets and murder into a gripping 'Knives Out' whodunit

It's 2026, and as everyone embraces this fresh start to create new memories, rejuvenated after the festival holidays, I'm sure binge-watching was less of a priority over this period.

That said, I would recommend Netflix's “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” for fans of whodunits. 

The master detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back for the third instalment of the "Knives Out" film series. In this new complex murder investigation, Benoit once again finds that the evidence is always more intricate than it initially seems.

It opens with Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor), a former boxer turned Catholic priest, who is reassigned after punching a rude deacon. 

As such, he finds himself at Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, a rural parish in upstate New York led by Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). 

His role as assistant pastor is scoffed at by the Monsignor as well as Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), who, aside from being devoted to the church, is also Jefferson’s right hand. 

The Monsignor is the grandson of Reverend Prentice Wicks, who reportedly compelled his mother, Grace, to stay at the church by promising her his inheritance. However, after his passing, the fortune - a valuable diamond - vanished and remains a mystery to this day.

However, the rumour mill is still rife with talk of Grace being branded as the “harlot w***e”, which reaches Jud. 

Jud finds his new post challenging, especially due to Jefferson's mutinous nature, which is evident in his mocking confessions.

Jud and Jefferson also clash over how to help a group parishners during regular sessions. And, boy oh boy, do the people in the group need all the help and guidance they can get. 

The parish's members include: Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), the town doctor struggling with alcoholism and a divorce; Vera Draven (Kerry Washington), a lawyer with significant "daddy issues" who raised Cy (Daryl McCormack) from a young age; and Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), a sceptical former concert cellist seeking a miraculous cure after being confined to a wheelchair.

By the way, Cy is also part of the group. Samson Holt, Martha's lover and a circumspect groundskeeper, is quirkily portrayed by Thomas Haden Church.

During a Good Friday service, chaos erupts when Jefferson is fatally stabbed in a storage closet near the pulpit. Suspicion immediately falls on Jud because the murder weapon is a knife fashioned from a devil's head lamp adornment - an item he had drunkenly stolen from a bar.

Overwhelmed by guilt stemming from his former life as a boxer, in which he killed a man, Jud is ready to accept his fate. However, Benoit's arrival changes things; he persuades Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis), the local police chief, to let him unmask the real culprit.

The list of suspects is plenty, as they all had something to gain from Jefferson’s death. The evidence is damning, blurring the line between a miracle and a masquerade.

Benoit, naturally, meticulously investigates all evidence and alibis. The resolution is both shocking and, in a way, fitting.

Fans of Rian Johnson’s quirky murder mysteries, "Knives Out" and "Glass Onion", will know exactly what to anticipate from this latest offering. The film is beautifully shot, successfully evoking the small-town, atmospheric feel often associated with British crime dramas.

A wonderful drawcard is also the casting.

Rating: *** solid and enjoyable, though not groundbreaking.

Below is another offering that will pique your interest:

“The Thursday Murder Club”

The Thursday Murder Club is a crime comedy film, based on the 2020 novel by Richard Osman. Directed by Chris Columbus, the screenplay was written by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote.

The plot centres on a group of older, amateur sleuths who decide to solve a murder and the ensemble cast features Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie in the main roles. Supporting actors include David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman and Ingrid Oliver.

This is a truly engaging whodunit. Its foundation is the unmistakable humour and sarcasm that only comes from deep life experience, though those who are strict book purists might want to give this adaptation a miss. 

The veteran actors, as expected, deliver absolutely spellbinding performances.