Dayton Chronicle - Your Hometown News Source

Murder mysteries are a favorite past time of folks in Dayton and surrounding acreage. A hotel here, has sponsored murder mystery weekends for guests and locals to enjoy. Live productions at the Liberty Theater have been known to showcase a mystery or two. And how many of you grew up playing the board game, "Clue"? We do love a mystery.

Rian Johnson ("Star Wars: The Last Jedi") has helmed a murder mystery in the film "Knives Out" with an all-star cast–which is something you want if everyone's a suspect. Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon: it's a veritable Who's-Who of suspects. Add Christopher Plummer as Harlan Thrombey, the eccentric (aren't they always eccentric?) murdered billionaire; and Daniel Craig as the detective whose name is actually Benoit Blanc, and you have it made. Fun, fun, fun! What's even more fun is that Thrombey is a noted crime novelist.

This storyline has all the essentials: a dysfunctional family, devoted staff, red herrings and self-serving lies. And I'll bet it was a relief for Daniel Craig to play a southern American gentleman, after playing James Bond all these years. By the way, Craig designed his accent after the late renowned southern American historian, Shelby Foote. And you might as well know that both the title, "Knives Out" is a track from the album 'Amnesiac' (2001) by the English rock band Radiohead.

"Knives Out," rated PG-13 with a run time of 2 hours 11 minutes, plays at the Liberty February 28 to March 1. For more information visit http://www.libertytheater.org