A glossy, crowd-pleasing mystery with sharp comic timing, big performances, and a playful satirical edge. It’s less intricate than it thinks it is, but the energy, setting, and Blanc’s presence make it an easy recommendation for viewers who like their whodunits bright, breezy, and self-aware.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy · Crime
Wed · 2h 20m
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe
Overview
World-famous detective Benoit Blanc heads to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery surrounding a tech billionaire and his eclectic crew of friends.
Director
Rian Johnson
Cast
Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, crowd-pleasing mystery with sharp comic timing, big performances, and a playful satirical edge. It’s less intricate than it thinks it is, but the energy, setting, and Blanc’s presence make it an easy recommendation for viewers who like their whodunits bright, breezy, and self-aware.
Best for
fans of modern whodunits
viewers who enjoy ensemble comedies
people who like satire about wealth and ego
audiences seeking a fun, accessible mystery
fans of stylish, dialogue-driven studio films
Skip if
you want a tightly plotted puzzle with maximum rigor
you dislike broad satire or heightened comedy
you prefer understated mysteries
you are tired of billionaire/tech-world commentary
Overview
Glass Onion trades the cozy mechanics of a classic murder mystery for a louder, sunnier, more overtly satirical game. Rian Johnson keeps the tone nimble and the dialogue crackling, while Daniel Craig leans into Benoit Blanc as both detective and comic engine. The result is less elegant than its predecessor, but often more openly mischievous.
Worth noting
The film works best as a social farce about vanity, status, and performative intelligence. Its island setting and ensemble of self-important guests give it a breezy, locked-room energy, even when the plotting becomes intentionally showy. The movie is designed to be watched with the audience, not above them.
Bottom line
If the twists occasionally feel over-explained, the pleasures are still substantial: the cast is game, the visual design is polished, and the jokes land with real confidence. It’s a smart mainstream mystery that knows exactly how much spectacle to wrap around its clues.
Top Letterboxd reviews
tetra · 47540 likes
calling it glass onion is such a coward's way to avoid calling it chives out
Jay (3.5★) · 39804 likes
the biggest mystery to hit the greek islands since sophie sheridan invited her three potential fathers to her wedding
Patrick Willems (4★) · 21091 likes
A full two hours and twenty minutes of me throwing back my head cackling and clapping my hands with delight
Sethsreviews (3★) · 19895 likes
I wish Ethan Hawke got on the boat with them.
•lily• (4★) · 17224 likes
I really hope rian johnson and daniel craig get to make like 30 more of these
Themes
whodunit, satire, wealth and privilege, friendship as performance, deception, social climbing, tech culture, class resentment
Topics
mystery, crime comedy, satire, ensemble cast, wealth satire, tech billionaire, island setting, whodunit, slick studio filmmaking, lighthearted tone