Knox Goes Away

What a sharp movie! I really enjoyed this film! Michael Keaton really does great directing this film as well as acting in this film. Al Pacino really was fun as well. Very interesting character. The movie takes place around a contract killer that is diagnosed with a very fast movie type of dementia. Very fast moving. But he is given the opportunity to redeem himself. Which is a very crazy situation within its self. The opportunity that he is given is after his son shows up at his front door covered in blood because he kills the man who impregnate his teenage daughter he can make things right by helping is son get out of this mess he has put himself in. The film is great. It is very dark, gritty, and just overall great!

Just watched "Knox Goes Away" on Max directed and starring Michael Keaton. Keaton plays Knox, a hitman who receives a devasting diagnosis: he has Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and has only weeks to live. So, he has to get his affairs in order before he "goes away". Soon multiple tragedies occur which require him to use the last vestiges of his intellect to ensure that his estranged son, ex-wife and his kept woman get their inheritance. The story is a bit slower than it needs to be but Keaton's descent into the "brain fog" of dementia is convincingly sad. Solid support from Al Pacino as Keaton's friend and James Marsden as Keaton's son combine to create a decent, if not perfect movie. Recommended as a 7/10 - a Roger Ebert reviewer gave this one star - completely unfair in my opinion.

Michael Keaton is like on a comeback streak. I think. He is not participating on several movies each year, as Bruce Willis did, at last two decades, but the pattern of coming back and especially into good and large projects, demonstrates that this iconic actor is returning to the main stage, and not once or twice.

This time he is also directing. At the second time of his long career. What a miss that he only did it twice, but maybe after this time he will do it again. For this movie, probably not knowing too much will serve the viewers better. It is a film that the less you know, the bigger surprise will be once you start watching it.

We had our share of movies about dementia. We've got heart breaking drama movies and even the biggest of all, Christopher Nolan's "Memento". Well...Keaton is no Nolan, but they both have a heavy batman connection, so it might help. This time it is Memento style, but with another Twist regarding how and when the dementia starts and when is it taking the part at main character's life.

It is not a brilliant and extraordinary story. But it is captivating. The story drops some details, that could have been relevant and add to the plot's twists, but it has enough going on to justify the runtime and the interest, from the viewers side. You cannot stop, once it has started and this is the true magic of the movie.

Keaton pulls a few wild cards for this feature - James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden and even the wrinkly Al Pacino. They are all side characters, that are fun to watch, though no one is actually outstands Keaton's characters. He also took the great polish actress - Joanna Kulig for a short ride and she is a great add-on to this film.

It is now an outstanding and brilliant movie, but it is so well written and performed, that you cannot even go to take a leak while watching it. I cannot even say that it felt longer than it should have been and this is one of the surprising movies that I wasn't expecting anything and got almost everything.

1.) Michael Keaton and if you know him, Ray McKinnon who produced the 'Rectify' series, one of the best series I have ever seen on 'TV'. Michael Keaton stars and directs the film and let me tell you think you know where the plot is taking you and you see what you think are some obvious inconsistencies. You will be stunned by how well the plot is actually thought out. The contradictions in the main characters , father, son and how their lives become parallel in most unlikely of ways and all because of , what ? Contingency. The script or story is absolutely brilliant and it is executed in the most artistic way possible and ,as always you will find yourself haunted by Keaton's character and delivery. The movie is truly special and FEW movies produced today rise to this level of excellence, Story, concept and narrative and you don't know where you're going to till you get there, ironic, poignant and above all a wholly satisfying movie experience. Eight Stars and I rarely give more than seven and that's for movies I think are really good, this is a cut above.

Such a fantastic movie.

Nicely filmed, wonderfully acted, excellent script, really good story telling and brilliantly edited. I loved every moment.

It is quite a story that has drama and a whole lot of heart. And Michael Keaton directing this gem is, well, what can I say, just amazing.

Yeah, yeah, I am running out of adjectives here. But when you are moved by art one has to show their love !

There are some good laughs, good gore and soul. The last scene in the movie really got to me.

All I can say is you have to give it go. Don't believe the META Score or crap reviews. This one is completely worth the time.

Damn, Mr. Keaton, you are magnificent. I guess I had one more adjective in me !