Movie review
November 27, 2019 · 131 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Knives Out is a comedy mystery film about the sudden death of a wealthy crime novelist, Harlan Thrombey. A private detective named Benoit Blanc must investigate the writer's greedy family to solve the case. The movie features highly visible themes about immigration and wealth privilege. The main hero is a kind Latina nurse who is threatened by the selfish family because her mother is undocumented.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Knives Out.
Woke representation / casting
The movie casts a Latina actress as the main hero. Her identity as the daughter of an undocumented immigrant is not a minor detail. It drives the whole story. Her background is used as a direct metaphor for the American immigration debate. This prominent representation is a major priority for the story rather than just a natural choice, putting it in the moderate range.
Woke political dialogue
The movie has very clear political talk during a family party. The characters argue about border walls, putting kids in cages, and legal immigration. They use terms like "SJW," "liberal snowflake," and "alt-right troll". These political lines are loud and easy to notice for any viewer.
Identity-driven story themes
The main plot is built around modern identity politics. It highlights the struggle of an undocumented immigrant family against rich white people. The rich family tries to blackmail the hero by threatening to deport her mother. At the end, she takes over the mansion. She looks down on the family from the balcony, which represents the working immigrant winning over the rich elite.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The story attacks traditional family structures and wealth. The rich family members are shown as lazy, greedy, and hypocritical. The grandson is mocked as a pathetic internet troll who posts hate online. The movie criticizes conservative views on patriotism and hard work, showing them as excuses for selfish behavior.
Production
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Many conservative viewers complained about the movie. They felt it pushed left-wing ideas about immigration. They also did not like how it made Trump supporters look like bad people. Critics accused the writer of using lazy stereotypes to mock white families. These political complaints were common on social media and film blogs.
Creator track record context
Most of the film crew and co-directors have low woke scores and no activist history. However, the writer, Rian Johnson, has a high woke score of 67/100. He has a known history of putting progressive messages into his movies and defending diverse casting. His strong creative control over the script heavily influences the film.
