Knox Goes Away

Last updated

Knox Goes Away
Knox Goes Away film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Keaton
Written by Gregory Poirier
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMarshall Adams
Edited byJessica Hernández
Music by Alex Heffes
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • September 10, 2023 (2023-09-10)(TIFF)
  • March 15, 2024 (2024-03-15)(United States)
Running time
114 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$963,703 [2]

Knox Goes Away (known in some markets as A Killer's Memory or Assassin's Plan) is a 2023 American crime thriller film directed by Michael Keaton and written by Gregory Poirier. It stars Keaton (who also co-produced) in the title role, with James Marsden, Suzy Nakamura, Joanna Kulig, Ray McKinnon, John Hoogenakker, Lela Loren, Marcia Gay Harden, and Al Pacino in supporting roles. It follows a contract killer with a rapidly evolving form of dementia, who vows to spend his final days attempting to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 15, 2024, by Saban Films. It received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

John Knox works a day-to-day job as a contract killer employed by Jericho, a crime boss. He is estranged from his wife and son and lives alone, only interacting with other members of his industry and Annie (Joanna Kulig), the Polish sex worker who comes to visit him once a week, who shares his love for books. Knox is diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia called Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and quickly makes arrangements to cash out and retire from the business. Before that, he undertakes one last job with his partner, Thomas Muncie.

During the job, after successfully killing his target but also unintentionally killing the woman who was with him in the shower, Knox accidentally kills Muncie in his dementia-fueled confusion. He quickly stages the scene and leaves. That night, he is unexpectedly visited by his estranged son, Miles, who tearfully admits to killing a man for raping his daughter, Knox's granddaughter. Knox instructs his son to remain quiet to the authorities as he later arrives at the crime scene and meticulously removes evidence that may incriminate Miles, while mysteriously storing them away for later use. Meanwhile, dogged detective Emily Ikari is on both murder cases, determined to pinpoint the perpetrator.

Knox later visits his friend Xavier Crane, a former thief. Together, they cook up a plan to set Knox's family up for life while leaving the business behind, all while Knox battles his fading mental state. Meanwhile, Detective Ikari links both crimes to a single perpetrator. She interrogates Knox to no effect. He plants the evidence he had previously stored away around his son Miles' home, seemingly betraying him. Miles is arrested for the murder of his daughter's rapist, and is confronted by Knox in prison, where Knox accuses Miles of ratting him out in a tax evasion case several years prior.

After getting lost in the woods after digging up his stash of diamonds at a cabin his family used to own, Knox is picked up by Crane and driven home. Upon reaching home, he is confronted by a group of burglars and Annie, who had become aware of Knox's dementia and the fact that he had been cashing out and ratted him out as a result. Killing them all, Knox confronts Annie at gunpoint and informs her that she would have gotten a share anyway.

Despondent, Knox calls Xavier, who wishes him fortune before informing the police as part of their plan, whereupon he is arrested by Detective Ikari. The police later discover signs that the evidence found at Miles Knox's house may have been tampered with, and planted there by Knox, leading to the conclusion that Knox may have framed his own son for the murder. When asked by Ikari on a possible motive, Miles, recalling his father's accusation of him in prison, responds accordingly, shifting the blame fully over to Knox. He is then released.

Several weeks later, Miles visits his father in prison. Knox, now having fully lost his mental faculties, does not recognize his own son and is later moved from prison to a medical facility, having only weeks left to live. Miles and his mother receive equal shares of Knox's fortune, ensuring the completion of his retirement plan. Annie, who is spared, is shown receiving Knox's library and opening the cover of A Tale of Two Cities . The film ends with a catatonic Knox staring out a window.

Cast

Production

In May 2022, it was announced that Michael Keaton was set to star in and direct Knox Goes Away. [3] The film was produced by Brookstreet Pictures' Trevor Matthews and Nick Gordon, Sugar23's Michael Sugar and Ashley Zalta, along with Keaton. [4] Principal photography wrapped in December 2022, after 25 days of shooting. [5]

Keaton shared his views on directing himself in the lead role:

There are a lot of pluses to directing yourself. You have a head start and a big advantage in terms of time — there's less discussion because you don't have to have the discussion with yourself. There's a lot of wasted time on movie sets, and the energy just gets bogged down. You've got to keep the pace up so people don't get bored. [6]

Release

Knox Goes Away premiered in the Special Presentations section of the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023. [7] [8] [9] International sales were handled by FilmNation Entertainment. In November 2023, Saban Films acquired U.S distribution rights to the film. [10] [11] [12] The first trailer was released on February 14, 2024, [13] and the film opened in theaters on March 15. [14] It was then released on digital platforms on May 21, and on Blu-ray and DVD a week later, by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. [15] It debuted on Max on July 26, 2024. [16]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 66% of 79 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10.The website's consensus reads: "Michael Keaton directs Michael Keaton in Knox Goes Away, and gets a terrific performance out of himself — albeit one that's left stranded by an underwhelming screenplay." [17] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 54 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [18]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety gave the film a very positive review, calling it "a silky and entrancing thriller." Gleiberman also wrote, "Keaton gives a beautifully psychological performance […]. The script, by Gregory Poirier, is tautly clever and original, and Keaton directs it with a cunning and skill that are quietly hypnotic." [19] Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times remarked, "Knox Goes Away is, like its antihero, smart, unconventional and almost obsessively careful. Its unhurried pacing and mood of quiet deliberation won't be for everyone; but this low-key thriller resolves its shockingly high stakes with a twisty intelligence." [20]

Robert Abele of the Los Angeles Times stated, "Knox Goes Away should be noirishly enjoyable hokum. But instead, screenwriter Gregory Poirier's tribute to an earlier era's taciturn machismo is more muddled and ludicrous than fleet and clever." [21] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter commented, "The convoluted storyline is too clever by far, and might have proved entertaining if the film had been intended as an absurdist black comedy. Unfortunately, Keaton goes in a more neo-noir direction." [22] Esther Zuckerman of IndieWire gave the film a grade of "C-" and opined, "One just gets the sense that Knox Goes Away is unsure of what it's supposed to be. On one hand, it leans into the chillingly gruesome; on the other, it wants to laugh at the grimness of its own scenarios." [23] Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com gave it 1 out of 4 stars and wrote, "These glaring shortcomings and clumsy missteps would be fine if this film weren't so garish to look at. Flat photography and ungainly cuts undo the few moments where Keaton deploys himself to dispatch some goons." [24]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2023 California On Location Awards Location Team of the Year – Independent Feature FilmRob Frank, Remy Elles, Sean Hernandez, Sheila Ryan-Cruz,
Jeanie Farnam, Jonah Smith, and Eduardo Rickettes		Nominated [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny DeVito</span> American actor (born 1944)

Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series Taxi (1978–1983), which won him a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. He plays Frank Reynolds on the FXX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Keaton</span> American actor (born 1951)

Michael John Douglas, known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He has received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. In 2016, he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy García</span> American actor (born 1956)

Andrés Arturo García Menéndez, known professionally as Andy García, is an American actor, director and producer. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's The Untouchables (1987) alongside Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Robert De Niro. He continued to act in films such as Stand and Deliver (1988), and Internal Affairs (1990). He then costarred in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part III (1990) as Vincent Mancini, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Creek Entertainment</span> American film studio

Morgan Creek Entertainment, LLC is an American film production company, former sales agent and investor, that has released box-office hits including Young Guns, Dead Ringers, Major League, True Romance, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Crush, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and The Last of the Mohicans. The studio was co-founded in 1987 by James G. Robinson and Joe Roth. Robinson leads the company as chairman and CEO. His two sons, Brian Robinson and David C. Robinson, run the day-to-day operations. The company name comes from Roth's favorite film, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. Their most recent film is The Exorcist: Believer, which was released on October 6, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cary Joji Fukunaga</span> American filmmaker (born 1977)

Cary Joji Fukunaga is an American filmmaker. A director of TV and film, he first came to wide prominence by directing the first season of the HBO series True Detective (2014). He is known for directing critically acclaimed films such as the thriller Sin nombre (2009), the period drama Jane Eyre (2011), the war drama Beasts of No Nation (2015) and the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die (2021). He also co-wrote the Stephen King adaptation It (2017). He was the first director of East Asian descent to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, as the director and executive producer of True Detective. He also directed and executive produced the Netflix limited series Maniac (2018), and executive produced and directed several episodes of the Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air (2024).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanna Kulig</span> Polish actress and singer (born 1982)

Joanna Kulig is a Polish actress and singer. Noted for performing in different languages, she has worked in film, television and radio as well as on stage. She is the recipient of a European Film Award and two Polish Film Awards, and her work has been recognised at various film festivals. In 2018, Polish magazine Wprost included her among the 50 most influential Poles for her contributions to the cinema of Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tye Sheridan</span> American actor (born 1996)

Tye Kayle Sheridan is an American actor. He made his feature film debut in Terrence Malick's experimental drama film The Tree of Life (2011) and had his first leading role in Jeff Nichols's film Mud (2012).

<i>American Assassin</i> 2017 film by Michael Cuesta

American Assassin is a 2017 American action thriller film directed by Michael Cuesta and starring Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Shiva Negar, and Taylor Kitsch. Written by Stephen Schiff, Michael Finch, Edward Zwick, and Marshall Herskovitz, the film was based on Vince Flynn's 2010 novel of the same name. The story is centered on young CIA black ops recruit Mitch Rapp, who helps a Cold War veteran try to stop the detonation of a rogue nuclear weapon.

<i>The Flash</i> (film) 2023 superhero film by Andy Muschietti

The Flash is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash. Directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and a story by Joby Harold and the writing team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, it is the 13th film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Ezra Miller stars as Barry, who travels back in time to prevent his mother's death and becomes stranded in an alternate past. Sasha Calle also stars in her film debut, alongside Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton.

<i>Death Wish</i> (2018 film) 2018 film by Eli Roth

Death Wish is a 2018 American vigilante action thriller film directed by Eli Roth and produced by Roger Birnbaum. It is the remake of the 1974 film of the same name and stars Bruce Willis as Dr. Paul Kersey, alongside Vincent D'Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Dean Norris and Kimberly Elise in supporting roles. In the film, Dr. Paul Kersey, a Chicago-based surgeon, sets out to exact vengeance on the culprits responsible for attacking his family.

<i>The Woman in the Window</i> (2021 film) Film by Joe Wright

The Woman in the Window is a 2021 American psychological thriller film directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay by Tracy Letts, based on the bestselling 2018 novel of the same name by author A. J. Finn. The film follows an agoraphobic woman who begins to spy on her new neighbors and is witness to a crime in their apartment. Anthony Mackie, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, and Jennifer Jason Leigh also star.

<i>Guns Akimbo</i> 2019 film by Jason Lei Howden

Guns Akimbo is a 2019 action comedy film written and directed by Jason Lei Howden. It stars Daniel Radcliffe, Samara Weaving, Ned Dennehy, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Grant Bowler, Edwin Wright, Rhys Darby, Milo Cawthorne, Richard Knowles, and Mark Rowley.

<i>Love, Weddings & Other Disasters</i> 2020 film comedy by Dennis Dugan

Love, Weddings & Other Disasters is a 2020 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Dennis Dugan, from a story by Dugan, Eileen Conn and Larry Miller. It stars Diane Keaton, Jeremy Irons, Maggie Grace, Diego Boneta and Andrew Bachelor.

<i>Ida Red</i> (film) 2021 film by John Swab

Ida Red is a 2021 American action crime thriller film written, directed, and co-produced by John Swab. It stars an ensemble cast that includes Josh Hartnett, Sofia Hublitz, William Forsythe, Deborah Ann Woll, George Carroll, Mark Boone Junior, Beau Knapp, Frank Grillo, and Melissa Leo. It follows an incarcerated crime boss who, living on borrowed time, turns to her son and brother to pull off one huge heist to buy her freedom.

<i>Deadlock</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by Jared Cohn

Deadlock is a 2021 American action thriller film directed by Jared Cohn, starring Patrick Muldoon and Bruce Willis. It was released in the United States on December 3, 2021, by Saban Films.

<i>Gasoline Alley</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film by Edward John Drake

Gasoline Alley is a 2022 American action thriller film directed by Edward John Drake, starring Devon Sawa, Bruce Willis and Luke Wilson. It was released in the United States on February 25, 2022 by Saban Films.

<i>Dig</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film by K. Asher Levin

Dig is an American thriller film directed by K. Asher Levin from a screenplay by Banipal and Benhur Ablakhad. The film stars Thomas Jane, his daughter Harlow Jane, Emile Hirsch and Liana Liberato.

<i>Assassin</i> (2023 film) 2023 film by Jesse Atlas

Assassin is a 2023 American science fiction action film starring Nomzamo Mbatha, Dominic Purcell and Bruce Willis in his final film role. It was directed by Jesse Atlas, in his feature film directorial debut, written by Aaron Wolfe, and is based on Atlas and Wolfe's short film Let Them Die Like Lovers.

<i>Reptile</i> (film) 2023 film by Grant Singer

Reptile is a 2023 American crime thriller film directed by Grant Singer in his feature-film directorial debut, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Benjamin Brewer and Benicio del Toro, and a story he co-wrote with Brewer. The film stars del Toro in the lead role, alongside Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone, Eric Bogosian, Ato Essandoh, Domenick Lombardozzi, and Michael Pitt.

John Hoogenakker is an American stage, screen and commercial actor. On stage, he has been in a number of plays in the Chicago and Milwaukee area. He played the Bud Light King in Bud Light's Dilly Dilly television commercials. He played Lt. Spellman in the NBC series Chicago Fire, Matice in the Prime Video thriller series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Carl Wilkes in Castle Rock, and Randy Ramseyer in the Hulu limited series Dopesick.

References

  1. ↑ "Knox Goes Away". TIFF . Archived from the original on May 11, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Knox Goes Away". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  3. ↑ Kroll, Justin (May 6, 2022). "Michael Keaton To Star In & Direct Noir Thriller 'Knox Goes Away' – Cannes Market". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  4. ↑ Kroll, Justin (December 15, 2022). "James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden And Al Pacino Among Those Starring In Michael Keaton-Directed Thriller 'Knox Goes Away'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  5. ↑ Thompson, Simon (March 14, 2024). "Michael Keaton Gets Under LA's Skin In Thriller 'Knox Goes Away'". Forbes . Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  6. ↑ Hemphill, Jim (March 15, 2024). "For Michael Keaton, Directing 'Knox Goes Away' Was a Game of Jenga". IndieWire . Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  7. ↑ "TIFF 2023 announces 60 films in first wave of Galas and Special Presentations" (Press release). TIFF. July 24, 2023. Archived from the original on April 16, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  8. ↑ Lang, Brent (July 24, 2023). "Toronto Film Festival 2023 Lineup Includes Alexander Payne, Richard Linklater, Anna Kendrick, George C. Wolfe and Ethan Hawke Movies". Variety . Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  9. ↑ Canfield, David (July 24, 2023). "Big Stars and Bigger Oscar Contenders Lead Toronto Film Festival Lineup". Vanity Fair . Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  10. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (November 29, 2023). "Michael Keaton Thriller 'Knox Goes Away' Lands At Saban Films, Eyes Early 2024 Release". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  11. ↑ Lang, Brent (November 29, 2023). "Michael Keaton Thriller 'Knox Goes Away' Sells to Saban Films". Variety . Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  12. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (November 29, 2023). "Michael Keaton's 'Knox Goes Away' Thriller Heads to Saban Films". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  13. ↑ Andersson, Eric (February 14, 2024). "Michael Keaton's Knox Goes Away Trailer: Star Directs Himself as a Hit Man with Weeks to Live". People . Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  14. ↑ Grobar, Matt (February 1, 2024). "Michael Keaton Thriller 'Knox Goes Away' Sets Release Date With Saban Films". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  15. ↑ McCall, Kevin (May 14, 2024). "Michael Keaton's 'Knox Goes Away' Sets Digital Release Date". Collider . Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  16. ↑ Littleton, Cynthia (August 2, 2024). "Luminate Streaming Ratings: 'Dirty Pop,' 'Mayor of Kingstown,' 'Non Negotiable,' 'Knox Goes Away' Climb in Sluggish July 26-Aug. 1 Frame". Variety . Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Knox Goes Away". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved December 6, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  18. ↑ "Knox Goes Away". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  19. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (September 11, 2023). "'Knox Goes Away' Review: Michael Keaton Directs and Stars in an Entrancing Thriller About a Hit Man With Dementia". Variety . Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  20. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeannette (March 14, 2024). "'Knox Goes Away' Review: A Not-So-Simple Plan". The New York Times . Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  21. ↑ Abele, Robert (March 15, 2024). "Review: A hitman's memory fades in 'Knox Goes Away,' a thriller that's too placid from the start". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  22. ↑ Scheck, Frank (September 10, 2023). "'Knox Goes Away' Review: Michael Keaton Is a Hitman With Dementia in Neo-Noir Misfire". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  23. ↑ Zuckerman, Esther (September 11, 2023). "'Knox Goes Away' Review: Michael Keaton's Hitman Drama Undercuts Itself at Every Turn". IndieWire . Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  24. ↑ Daniels, Robert (March 15, 2024). "Knox Goes Away". RogerEbert.com . Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  25. ↑ "2023 Finalists". California Film Commission. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.