“Telling the truth can be a bitter herb.”

Genre: Mysterious Mysteries
Release Date: 2025
Where I Watched: Netflix

Gist: At Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude , Father MONSIGNOR Jefferson Wicks is
old school fire and brimstone. He’s stirring up his congregation, stoking anger and fear in each of them. But when “Young dumb and full of Christ” Father Jud Duplenticy is transferred to the parish after, well, An Incident, the small congregation is shaken up a bit. When the Monsignor is found dead during mass? They’re shaken up a lot.

Gotta say: Damn. How do the films in this series keep getting better? Man may well be the best of Benoit Blanc’s mysteries, with the clues, suspects, and humor the most enjoyable story yet.

To review? The first Knives Out story was a family house mystery. Glass Onion was a vacation mystery. Now, Man is a churchyard mystery (or, as Benoit says, a locked door mystery.) This story focuses on faith, belief, and how organized religion can either warp the two, or lift them up. And this cast is more than up to the task of digging into these ideas, and the trademark Out blend of mystery, suspense, and humor. Josh Brolin, Glenn Close, Thomas Haden Church, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott. I can’t even believe the cast here. Well fine; why wouldn’t writer/director/producer Rian Johnson be able to draw names like this, with two killer (heh) films in this series.

I’ve gotta confess; even if this wasn’t the third film in a series I’ve been loving? I’d have hit play just to see Scott – who was so wonderfully unhinged as Sherlock’s Moriarty – go HAM on his character Lee Ross, a famous author turned conspiracy nutter. But as this is an ensemble piece wrangled by Mr. Blanc, there are only tidbits of deliciousness from Scott, and the rest of the ensemble.

Big props to Johnson for giving Washington a soliloqy to tear into. And for giving Brolin lots of deadpan humor he knocks out of the park. Though it’s Craig Blanc who takes center stage here, supported by a brilliant Josh O’Connor as wide-eyed Father Jud. The clash between Blanc’s “proud heretic” and Jud’s heartfelt faith drives a lot of the plot, as the two debate on the best ways to go about things.

The way the story plays with expectations, then literally shatters them, is excellent. Whipsmart editing, shot blocking, and direction keeps things incredibly gripping, even though this is the longest film in the series. (By five or ten minutes, depending on the earlier film in question.)

Cinematographer Steve Yedlin’s keen eye gives Man a richness in the look of the film, with everything looking lush and beautifully poetic. As Johnson’s inspirations for the film included Edgar Allan Poe, that’s fitting. (Bonus drinking game – take a shot every time you pick up on a Poe reference. There’s just enough to keep you pleasantly buzzy.)

There’s plenty of beautiful scenery, quality acting, and twisty mystery for anyone to enjoy. Be careful with thinking you’ve solved this one early; I got schooled. Even if you do? The how may get you. And yes, it was all right there… Bravo, Man.

Come for: Yet another glimpse into the wild world of Benoit Blanc.
Stay for: A mystery that’s truly mysterious.