When Tom and I saw the trailers for “Knives Out” we knew it was a movie we would have to see.  We are not into blood and gore and lots of violence for the sake of upping the ratings.  But we love the classic “who-dun-it” style mystery.  Some of our favorites are “Clue,” “Murder by Death,” “The Maltese Falcon,” and any of the movies based on Agatha Christie books.  If they solve a mystery and have a little humor, we enjoy them even more.

“Knives Out” met all our expectations and more.  The movie begins with the death of the family patriarch, Harlan Thrombey, in the “ancestral” family home.  All the relatives and the household staff are gathered, so you know the murder is done by one of the people in the house.  There is the oldest daughter, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, her husband and son.  The son who runs the family publishing house with his wife and son.  And the daughter-in-law and her daughter.  A nurse and housekeeper make up the staff.

As the story develops, each of the characters tells the story from his or her point of view in an interview by detectives.  The consulting detective Benoit Blanc was hired anonymously by one of the family to solve the murder even though the police rule it a suicide.  Each of the characters holds a piece of the mystery and Blanc must put them all together.

The most sympathetic character in the movie is the nurse, Marta Cabrera.  She is the only one who appears to truly care about Harlan Thrombey.  But are we seeing the relationship distorted by her point of view?  Gradually the true relationships are uncovered and the mystery is revealed.  The penultimate scene in the movie has the ultimate plot twist, which leads to a very satisfying ending.

We enjoyed “Knives Out” so much that I would recommend it to everyone who likes a good mystery.  This one will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through.  And, with all the twists and turns in the plot, I plan on seeing it again.