If people thought that “Glass Onion” was a bit too much of a lark following the breakout success of “Knives Out,” the third Rian Johnson film in what is now a full-blown franchise, “Wake Up Dead Man,” is a correction to that “vacation mystery” tone. It’s chilly, windy, and overcast in this entertaining gem, but there’s a light for every darkness.
Inspired by “locked door mysteries” like The Hollow Man and The Murders in the Rue Morgue, “Dead Man” sees Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc investigating an impossible case that allows Johnson to explore themes of faith vs. logic, greed vs. sacrifice, and even the need for all kinds of storytelling in our lives, from those of faith to those of film. It’s one of several recent examples of talented writers trying to meet the moment of life in the 2020s not head-on but from the side, incorporating themes of the current “State of Things” into a fascinating mystery that also plays with timeless chords. It’s an ambitious delight, a movie that doesn’t divide the faithful from the heretic but reminds them of their common needs.
In one of the film’s most daring moves, Blanc isn’t really even the lead. That’s Reverend Jud Dupenticy (Josh O’Connor), a young priest who is sent to a troubled New York parish after he punches a deacon. Jud ends up working with the irascible Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (a powerful Josh Brolin), a monster of a man who believes in ruling with anger instead of hope. He preaches from a pulpit of fire, using tools like shame and guilt to keep people under control. He argues with Jud that their very faith is under attack, and the only way to stay relevant is to fight back. Despite his introductory right jab, Jud operates from the opposite side of the church aisle, preaching hugs over fists. There are several dualities in “Wake Up Dead Man,” but the one at its core is this idea that factions have emerged not just in this church but in this country, and that fighting for your tribe isn’t going to save us—welcoming outsiders into it is the only way forward.
We also meet the monsignor’s most loyal followers, who will, of course, become suspects in this edition’s twisty mystery. They include Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close), Wicks’ most loyal servant, and a part of the church since she was only a child. Groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church) is a quiet man, loyal to his love for Martha and grateful to Wicks, who saved him from the demons of alcoholism. Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner) lost his wife to a Phish message board, seeking companionship in the bottle. Lee Ross (Andrew Scott) is a former hit writer who has become obsessed with internet conspiracies. Simone (Cailee Spaeny) believes Wicks can cure her chronic pain. Vera Draven (Kerry Washington) resents taking care of her awful half-brother Cy (Daryl McCormack) an aspiring politician who believes in weaponizing online outrage, using social media as his own kind of pulpit. Jeffrey Wright, Mila Kunis, and a wonderfully effective Bridget Everett fill out an expectedly great ensemble.
Whereas Craig’s Blanc drove the storytelling in the first two films, this one’s lead goes to O’Connor, who finds the conflicted core of one of Johnson’s most complex characters, delivering a performance that is both playful and grounded. Jud killed a man in the boxing ring and has been not only trying to atone for that act ever since but also to understand the anger that produced it. The roots of anger weave through the plot of “Wake Up Dead Man,” whether it’s Jud’s background, Wicks’ brutality, Martha’s judgment, Cy’s opportunism, or Nat’s resentment. Of course, this is Johnson looking at the divided world around him and incorporating it into an old-fashioned mystery subgenre, but “Wake Up Dead Man” is somewhat shockingly optimistic, a film that champions understanding over conflict, and yet never in a way that feels preachy or sentimental either. It’s such a razor-sharp script, one of the best from one of the best writers of his generation.
Everyone expects a Johnson script to be sharp, but too few words have been spent on the increasing mastery of his craft as well. “Wake Up Dead Man” will largely be watched on a small screen, but make no mistake about it: This looks like a film. Johnson’s regular cinematographer, Steven Yedlin, delivers some of his best work, offsetting the cool light of an old New York church with key moments of sunlight streaming through its windows. It’s a gorgeous-looking film, which may not sound like much for a mystery, but it elevates it above so many underlit films made for streaming services. On that note, Bob Ducsay’s editing is as essential to this production as any element, especially as the case unravels.
About that case, it’s arguably a beat or two too convoluted, and just about impossible to solve, but, as with all of the “Knives Out” movies, that’s not really what it’s all about. These movies are not WHOdunits as much as WHYdunits, and it’s everything that’s under the murder and its resolution that makes this sermon so entertaining and so powerful. At one point, it becomes essentially a buddy comedy as a man of faith in Jud and a man of logic in Benoit approach the case from their unique perspectives, but its true power lies in its hope that they, and all of us, have more in common than we think. And only when we figure that out will we be able to wake up.
In theaters now. On Netflix on December 12th.
