The Movie Minute

By Joanna Langfield

Fun. Remember fun? Rian Johnson knows we could use a good dose of it and serves us up a gleefully good time.

Bigger and more pointed this time around, Johnson starts the diabolical twists and turns by bringing us all back to the spring of 2020, to a claustrophobic world defined by zoom meetings and personal pods. A seemingly diverse group gets mysterious boxes delivered to their doors, puzzles which lead to exclusive invitations to a billionaire’s Greek island compound. Who would say no? Turns out, none of the invitees can afford to refuse and off we go, for what they are eventually told is a highly orchestrated weekend of mysterious fun and games. But: will all go as planned? Will the guests toe their lines? Will the egomaniacal host maintain his hold? And how did Benoit Blanc, the world’s greatest detective, depressed by the lockdown and aching for a case to solve, wind up in the middle of all this?

Keep your eyes peeled for a dandy dose of wonderful cameos and some great visual jokes (Kate Hudson’s mask is one of the most perfectly hilarious things I’ve seen in a long time). But what truly makes this almost unwieldy story spin are the game performances by the terrific ensemble. It’s always a treat to see Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr and Janelle Monae. Dave Bautista shows deft comic skills, as does Ed Norton. The scene stealer is Kate Hudson, who makes her not too sharp fashionista irresistible. But, of course, it all whirls around Daniel Craig, who, having left his ohso serious 007 behind, continues to evolve into one of the funniest leading men working today. The fact that he is such a hoot isn’t a surprise (see the underappreciated Logan Lucky), but he, along with the rest of this joyful endeavor, is a much needed treat.