Rian Johnson creates a new whodunnit film with plenty of entertaining surprises in Knives Out, now playing.

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death.

Rian Johnson’s brilliant whodunnit wastes no time getting started by opening with the death of Harlan after his 85th birthday. Its a pretty clear case of suicide according to the lead detective, but Detective Blanc (Craig, who just shines in this role) isn’t quite so sure. “I suspect foul play,” he says in a brilliantly believable southern drawl. “I have eliminated no suspects.”

Everyone in this stellar cast is clearly having a lot of fun playing these characters, from Jamie Lee Curtis’ hardened yet hilarious Linda to Toni Collette’s Valley girl Joni, but no one seems to be having fun than Chris Evans as he distances from the moral superhero role, playing Ransom, the bad egg of the family who didn’t show up to the funeral but is early for the will reading.

At the heart of the movie is Marta, played by Ana de Armas who is sure to be a breakout star after this film. She carries the film with ease and skill, which helps with the film success.

Any murder mystery has plenty of secrets, but what is so creative about Knives Out is that it tricks you into believing you have everything figured out. There is a mystery pulled on top of another mystery you didn’t even know was there until you thought the movie was over.

Johnson painted quite a target on his back after he helmed the most divisive Star Wars film ever (I actually quite enjoyed what he did with The Last Jedi), but he comes back strong with crowd-pleasure with a creative plot that never alienates its audience.