Shadows on the Wall | Wake Up Dead Man

Wake Up Dead Man

Review by Rich Cline | MUST SEE

dir-scr Rian Johnson
prd Ram Bergman, Rian Johnson
with Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, Thomas Haden Church, Jeffrey Wright
release US 26.Nov.25,
UK 12.Dec.25
25/UK Netflix 2h20

TORONTO FILM FEST

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Bracingly shifting directions, Rian Johnson deepens and sharply focusses the underlying themes in this third whodunit for Daniel Craig's detective Benoit Blanc. It's still astutely hilarious, this time with spooky gothic touches, but there are riveting angles to the vibrant characters as each of them grapples with their own personal relationship to faith. So while the mystery is wildly entertaining, there's also a lot to chew on.

In a rural New York village, thoughtful young new priest Jud (O'Connor) arrives to work with blustering Monseigneur Jefferson (Brolin) at Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude. Jud is quickly unnerved by ubiquitous church lady Martha (Close) and all-seeing handyman Samson (Church), and he soon identifies a tight group of fiercely loyal parishioners (Renner, Washington, Scott, Spaeny and McCormack) who are gripped by Jefferson's bile-filled sermons. Then when Jefferson is murdered in the middle of the Good Friday service, Jud becomes the chief suspect for Chief Geraldine (Kunis). But visiting detective Benoit (Craig) has other theories.

Most intriguing is how Benoit and Jud instantly bond through open-handed discussions about spirituality. These are very different men who have a connection to the church that runs deep. And Jefferson's death is wrapped in religious imagery, especially when he rises from the dead after three days. Johnson knowingly swirls these ideas without taking a cheap shot, even as witty lines keep the audience laughing. Instead, the ideas become hauntingly meaningful as another enjoyably convoluted mystery unfolds.

At the centre, O'Connor finds terrific textures in a man who turned to the priesthood to atone for his violent past. Still short-tempered, he clearly relishes meeting someone who speaks to him honestly about his beliefs, so conversations with Craig's Benoit ripple with humour and pointed understanding. As before, Benoit lurks around the edges of scenes while injecting observations and provocations, and Craig beautifully plays Benoit's own internal journey. Everyone in the ensemble gets to shine, bringing out often outrageous character details. They're all superb, but Close steals the show.

While solving the murder keeps us on our toes, and the smart, jagged dialog keeps us laughing, what gets under the skin is the way the film quietly explores ideas of redemption, temptation and grace. So the story itself is actually about the corrupting effects of anger, paranoia and greed, ideas that feel eerily timely as they echo through religion and politics. It's rare for such an entertaining blockbuster to encourage us to take the time to consider each other more sensitively and truthfully.

themes, language, violence 8.Oct.25

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