The Glass Onion: The Mystery of the Knives
Christy Lemire December 23, 2022


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The best bits in "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" are the ones you won't read about in this review (and hopefully won't hear about until you see the movie). But rest assured, there are plenty of them, and they're sprinkled liberally throughout Rian Johnson's tumultuous, if slightly worse, sequel.


Clever details, funny names, and precisely aimed digs at callous celebrity culture keep Johnson's film alive when it threatens to drag on. Following up on his 2019 hit "Knives Out," the writer/director expanded his storytelling scope in every direction. Everything is bigger, flashier and spinnier. The length is longer, as is the time frame the story covers. But that doesn't necessarily make "The Glass Onion" any better. A wildly entertaining start gives way to a lackluster middle section as Johnson's mystery doubles down to reveal more details about these characters we thought we knew. The result is repeated. The oozing tension that existed in the genteel confines of the first 'Knives Out' is toned down here against the sprawling, sun-drenched splendor of a luxurious private Greek island.


And it would be hard for Johnson to top his original film, which was so smart and unique — hilarious but also legitimately suspenseful. His characters were immediately richer (no pun intended) and his cast had more to offer. "Glass Onion" features some meaty and meaningful performances, notably from Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson and Daniel Craig, who once again does his best Foghorn Leghorn impression as intrepid detective Benoit Blanc. And several of his significant portraits are a giddy delight. But multi-talented actors capable of bold and exciting work like Leslie Odom Jr. and Kathryn Hahn, frustratingly squander underdeveloped supporting roles.


Still, if you can catch "The Glass Onion" in its weekly screenings before it streams on Netflix starting Dec. 23, it's a movie that benefits from the collective energy of an enthusiastic audience. Plus, it'll help you avoid any spoilers that might trickle out over the next month. So: it works!



Edward Norton stars as Miles Bron, a billionaire tech bug who isn't nearly as cool as he thinks. Once a year, he gathers his tight-knit clique—a disparate group of people who smugly call themselves "The Disruptors"—for a lavish weekend getaway. This time, he's sent them all multi-layered puzzle boxes (the first indicator of the kind of elaborate production design Rick Heinrichs has in store for us) as a tease for the murder mystery he's planning on his isolated getaway. His residence manages to be flashy and elegantly minimalist at the same time, suggesting that he has no recognizable personal style of his own.


His guests include Hudson's model-turned-influencer Birdie, who keeps getting in trouble for tweets she doesn't realize are racist; Hahn's married mother and politician Claire; Brash men's rights YouTuber Dave Bautista Duke Cody and his scantily clad girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline, finding surprising shading); and Odom's beleaguered scientist Lionel, who endures urgent faxes from Miles at all hours of the day and night. Also receiving an unexpected invitation is the jovial and fashionable Benoit Blanc, who welcomes the fun of the challenge as he seems to be at sea between cases. Again, watching Craig go crazy is a real joy.


Their reunion is warm smiles and hugs until Monáe's Andi Brand shows up. She was Miles' partner in building his business empire; now he's on outings with everyone. Her arrival sends an instant charge into the group and Blanc's antennae buzz. It's a promising setup.


But as the title (taken from a Beatles song) suggests, there are layers upon layers that can be peeled back, but the truth at the center is also crystal clear. As an indictment of how extreme wealth corrupts, the whole exercise is pretty obvious, and fits safely into the line of recent satires ("Triangle of Sorrow," "The Offer") that take some easy targets, albeit with plenty of humor. and style.


Monáe's spectacular performance gives us something substantial to hold on to in this transactional world. The celebrity portraits are consistent, but Monáe—especially in her interactions with Craig—provides the necessary emotional weight and deeper meaning. Hudson's performance is also more complex than we might initially expect. She combines an infectious giddiness reminiscent of her famous mother Goldie Hawn with the depth and vulnerability she displayed in her Oscar-nominated supporting work in "Almost Famous." It's a nice change of pace to see the normally likeable Bautista play such an obnoxious character. And Craig offers slightly different versions of Blanc, depending on the situation; his technical precision is impressive as always.

Trying to outsmart this insanely complicated plot is also part of the fun, but it also becomes a clumsy process over time. Still, "Glass Onion" remains dazzling, from sparkling imagery from Johnson's regular cinematographer Steve Yedlin to truly inspired costume design by Jenny Eagan. One particular outfit that Norton wears in a crucial flashback scene provides one of the film's biggest laughs.


Ultimately, however, the giant glass onion that rests on top of Miles' mansion becomes an all-too-appropriate metaphor for the film as a whole: Sparkling but empty.

It's now playing in theaters for a week preview and will be available on Netflix on December 23rd.