I still remember how absolutely enraptured I was watching “Knives Out” for the first time in the midst of the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. Following the — dare I say — mediocre sequel, I did have some apprehension about the third installment. Going in, I didn’t know if the newest Benoit Blanc mystery, “Wake Up Dead Man,” would live up to my admittedly high expectations.
To my delight, however, the movie did all that and more.
The film stars Josh O’Connor, known for his role in “Challengers”, as Father Jud Duplenticy, a boxer-turned-Catholic-priest who is sent to a small church in Albany following an altercation with a fellow clergyman. As he settles in, he comes to realize that the church is riddled with issues inside and out.
This movie is, in truth, an absolute treat. The final details of the mystery are just as intricate and unexpected as the previous films, and the characters are magnificent.
But “Wake Up Dead Man” is more than just a well-made film — it actually provides a meaningful commentary on the church in the modern era.
Monsignor Wicks, the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, is an angry fire-and-brimstone Catholic priest — he makes pariahs out of church newcomers, drives away most of his congregation and leads his church with fear and trembling. His parishioners embody issues in the modern church; one, for example, films Wicks’ sermons, cuts them to pieces and uses them to co-opt harmful ideology online.
Father Jud steps in as Wicks’ antithesis. He approaches the church from an opposite perspective. He tells Detective Blanc that his “real and only purpose in life” is “not to fight the wicked and bring them to justice, but to serve them and bring them to Christ.”
Their clash of personalities serves as a source of conflict throughout the movie, as Jud tries to both understand and fix the hostile environment that Wicks has created in his church.
Detailed spoilers of the actual murder mystery aside, for the sake of those who haven’t seen it, I will say that I couldn’t help but giggle at the double entendre in the title. First, of course, the obvious tie to the movie’s plot — a murder mystery revolving around a mock-resurrection taking place around Easter — but also a nod to its setting in a church.
The movie is brilliant, and I could not recommend it more. Josh O’Connor portrays his role beautifully, and Daniel Craig brings the beloved Blanc back to the screen with his typical charm. The intricate mystery is as entertaining as it is well-written and continues the “Knives Out” franchise with a killer (ha!) third installment.
Staff Reporter
