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Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Detective Benoit Blanc takes on his darkest case yet when a remote European estate becomes the scene of a brutal murder. As secrets, betrayals, and buried histories collide, Blanc must untangle a web of lies among a new circle of suspects with everything to lose.
Director
Rian Johnson (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)
Actors
Daniel Craig • Josh O’Connor • Cailee Spaeny • Andrew Scott • Kerry Washington
2h 24m • Rated M • Mystery, Thriller, Crime • USA
The island setting, the modest production, and the humor that often arises from character rather than contrivance work together to keep the film from ever feeling flat. On the flip side, a few feel the pacing is uneven, or that the secondary characters don’t always land. Still, even these criticisms tend to be soft and in the service of a film that is more heartwarming than perfect.
Overall, the consensus sees The Ballad of Wallis Island as a warm, wistful, and soul-soothing film—modest in scope but rich in feeling. It’s not trying to dazzle, but it digs in where it matters: loss, memory, music, human connection. For many, it’s one of the more emotionally satisfying films of 2025.
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a quietly charming British comedy-drama directed by James Griffiths, written by and starring Tom Basden and Tim Key, alongside Carey Mulligan. The story centers on Charles, a lonely lottery winner living on a remote Welsh island, who invites his favorite folk duo—Herb McGwyer and Nell Mortimer—to reunite for a private performance. His motive isn’t just fandom; there are unresolved heartbreaks, nostalgia, and grief behind his idealistic gesture.
Critics are largely enamored with the film’s balance of humor and melancholy. Tim Key’s performance as Charles is praised for being endearingly awkward, verbose, and heart-on-sleeve, often using verbal wit to stave off silence. Basden as Herb, and Mulligan as Nell, deliver subtle, emotionally resonant performances, especially when the old romantic and artistic tensions surface—and you begin to feel what’s been lost, as well as what hope might remain. The original music is another highlight; the songs feel lived in, and the film uses them not as spectacle, but as emotional anchors.
Some reviewers point out that the premise is familiar—a fan’s devotee, reunited artists, romantic regrets—but argue that the execution elevates it.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
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Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Fri 19 Dec 8:00pm ncp
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Tue 23 Dec 8:00pm ncp
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Some reviewers highlight the film’s deliberate pacing—slower and more brooding than the previous instalments—which has divided audiences who expected a lighter caper. A few critics suggest the plot’s final revelations feel slightly over-engineered, though most agree the emotional payoff is stronger than anything the series has attempted before. The consensus leans firmly positive: Wake Up Dead Man is seen as a bold evolution of the franchise, proving that Johnson can shift tone without losing the pleasure of watching Benoit Blanc peel back the layers of human deceit.
Critics Roundup
A darker, sharper Knives Out mystery that digs deep beneath the deception.
Critics call Wake Up Dead Man the most atmospheric and emotionally weighty entry in the Knives Out saga. Reviewers praise Rian Johnson for embracing a moodier, gothic-inflected tone while still delivering the franchise’s hallmark wit and twisting narrative architecture. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc is widely described as more vulnerable and reflective this time, with critics noting that the script gives him deeper stakes and a more personal relationship to the central crime. Josh O’Connor and Cailee Spaeny receive standout notices for highly textured performances that balance charm, suspicion, and volatility.