Sinister Services: The Dark Comedy of 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery'
In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica delve into the intriguing world of *Wake Up Dead Man*, the latest installment in the Knives Out franchise that takes murder mysteries to a new level within the confines of a church. The hosts explore the darkly ironic setting of Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, where the past sins of Father Duplentice, played by Josh O'Connor, collide with a shocking murder during a service, challenging the very notion of divine intervention.
Listeners will be captivated as Chris and Jessica discuss the power dynamics at play, particularly with Josh Brolin's Monsignor Wicks, who runs the parish like a personal empire. They highlight the film's ensemble cast, featuring Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, and others, creating a rich tapestry of characters that embody various forms of suffering and redemption.
The episode also examines how director Rian Johnson masterfully uses the church setting to delve into themes of faith, doubt, and collective guilt, especially with the murder occurring in front of a congregation that becomes both witnesses and suspects. Chris and Jessica reflect on the clever symbolism and the tension brought forth by Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc, navigating the intersection of earthly justice and divine judgment.
With a score of 8 out of 10, this episode invites listeners to ponder the complex layers of morality, redemption, and the human condition, all while enjoying the sophisticated mystery and dark humor that the Knives Out series is known for.
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
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Chris: Murder mysteries in churches are nothing new.
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But what if the priest himself was an ex
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boxer with a history of violence?
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That's the fascinating premise behind the
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latest Knives out film that's got everyone
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talking.
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Jessica: The setting alone is brilliant. Our lady of
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Perpetual Fortitude. Even the name drips
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with dark irony when you consider what
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happens within those hallowed walls.
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Chris: You know what's really compelling about this
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setup? Josh o' Connor plays Father
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Duplentice, a priest who literally had to
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face a religious tribunal for punching a
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deacon. Talk about carrying your past
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sins with you.
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Jessica: Hmm. And then you've got Josh Brolin as
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Monsignor Wicks, basically running the parish
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like his personal kingdom. The power
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dynamic there must be incredible to watch.
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Chris: Well, what's fascinating is how Johnson uses
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this religious setting to explore themes of
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power and corruption. Monsignor Wickes meets
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his end during a service. You couldn't ask
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for a more symbolic moment of divine
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intervention.
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Jessica: Speaking of symbolism, the cast they've
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assembled is like a perfect congregation of
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Glenn Close as the all seeing church
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administrator, Jeremy Renner as this
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mysterious, disgruntled doctor.
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Chris: And don't forget Kerry Washington as this
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tightly wound lawyer paired with Darryl
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McCormick as her failed politician
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stepbrother. It's like Johnson is creating
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this microcosm of society within the church
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walls.
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Jessica: That's exactly what makes these Knives out
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films so compelling, the way they use these
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enclosed spaces to examine larger social
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issues. How does that play out in a religious
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setting?
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Chris: Well, you've got this fascinating
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intersection of faith and doubt.
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Think about it. Andrew Scott plays a
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struggling author. Cailee Spaeny is a
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disabled cellist. And Thomas Hayden
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Church is this groundskeeper named Samson.
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Each character seems to represent different
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forms of suffering or redemption.
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Jessica: Oh, and bringing Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc
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into a religious setting, that's gotta create
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some interesting tensions between earthly
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justice and divine judgment.
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Chris: You know what's really clever about this
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setup? The murder happens during a service,
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which means everyone was present, everyone
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was watching, and yet somehow this
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crime still occurred. It's like
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Johnson is playing with the idea of
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collective guilt.
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Jessica: That must make Mila Kunis's job as police
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chief particularly challenging. Investigating
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a crime where the entire congregation are
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both witnesses and suspects.
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Chris: And let's talk about how this fits into the
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larger Knives out universe. We've gone from
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a family estate to a Greek island and now to
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this small town church. Each setting brings
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its own unique moral complications.
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Jessica: So what do you think about the decision to
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give it both a theatrical release and a
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Netflix run? That seems like a vote of
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confidence in the final product.
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Chris: Well, it makes perfect sense when you
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consider the visual elements at play. These
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Gothic church spaces, the religious imagery,
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the way Johnson typically uses architecture
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to frame his mysteries. It's definitely
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something that deserves to be seen on the big
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screen first.
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Jessica: The religious symbolism must add such rich
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layers to the mystery. Even the title
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Wake Up Dead man has these haunting biblical
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undertones.
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Chris: Exactly. And that's what makes this
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potentially the most complex Knives out yet.
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It's not just about solving a murder. It's
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about exploring faith, redemption, and the
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price of forgiveness. When your victim is a
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religious leader and your prime suspect is a
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priest with a violent past, every
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clue carries extra weight.
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Jessica: Sounds like Johnson has managed to maintain
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that perfect balance between sophisticated
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mystery and dark comedy that made the first
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two films so successful.
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Chris: And that's really the genius of these films.
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They work on multiple levels. You can enjoy
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them as clever whodunits, but they also offer
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these deeper explorations of human nature and
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social dynamics. Setting this one
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in a church just adds another fascinating
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layer to unpack. We're giving Wake
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Up Dead Man a knives out mystery. A score of
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8 out of 10.
