Wake Up Dead Man
When Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor), a former boxer, has had enough with an annoying deacon, he lands a punch that breaks the man's jaw. A sympathetic Bishop Langstrom (Jeffrey Wright) advises him that he will be transferred to Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude where he hopes Jud can help turn around a church whose monsignor, Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), has been bleeding parishioners. The combative Wicks and his remaining faithful do not take kindly to the more compassionate newcomer and when Wicks is murdered in a seemingly impossible scenario, Duplenticy finds himself the main suspect in "Wake Up Dead Man."
Laura's Review: B
Writer/director Rian Johnson ("Brick," "Knives Out") pits a pugilistic priest with love in his heart against a fear-mongering monsignor with love for his loins in his latest "Knives Out" mystery. Private investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) will take on the mantle of confessor and savior as he solves a closed door mystery inspired by John Dickson Carr's 'The Hollow Man,' which just so happens to have been featured in Wicks' loyal pastoral assistant Martha Delacroix's (Glenn Close) book club.
As Jud walks about his new church, he notices a blank space where a large cross used to hang above the altar and, having a way with wood, begins to measure it to make a replacement. He's interrupted by his new monsignor who strides in and asks him if he's trying to steal his church. The cross's absence is deliberate, Wicks tells him, a reminder of the 'harlot whore,' his late mother, Grace Wicks (Annie Hamilton, "The Wolf of Snow Hollow"), who desecrated the church in a fit of rage when his father, the Reverend Prentice Wicks (James Faulkner), died having only willed his daughter a glass globe emblazoned with 'Eve's Apple' in Latin, the fortune he believed would only lead to corruption nowhere to be found.
At first, Father Jud thinks Wicks is merely being weird when his confession consists of detailed accounts of masturbation, but when they not only continue, but become more outrageous, he recognizes them as antagonisms. After observing Wicks' services, the younger priest observes that the man tailors his sermons to attack any newcomer, driving them away while maintaining his loyal base. In addition to Martha, they consist of Vera Draven, Esq. (Kerry Washington), a local lawyer; her son, video enthusiast Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack); sci-fi writer Lee Ross (Andrew Scott); Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner) and Simone Vivane (Cailee Spaeny), a world class cellist whose chronic pain has upended her career. Groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church) appears to have a frisky relationship with Martha, but spends services listening to sports via earpods for as long as he can get away with it. Father Jud attempts to turn things around with a prayer circle, but when these parishioners realize Wicks wasn't informed, they all turn on him. Jud heads to the local satanically themed bar, where he breaks a wolf finial off a lamp, throwing it through a church window on his way home that night.
Frustrated beyond belief, Jud confronts Wicks about his destructive approach, vowing to cut him out like a cancer, an exchange Cy catches with his ever present camera. And then, attending Wicks during a Mass, when the man enters a small side room to catch his breath after his sermon, a place where Jud knows his superior retrieves his flask, the priest is alarmed by a crash. Going to investigate, he finds the man lying on the floor, that wolf finial, now painted red, protruding from his back. Stumped, Chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) calls in Blanc, who enjoys a religious joust with Jud before the priest realizes who he's dealing with ('I saw you on The View!'). Although Blanc has declared himself an atheist, the two men find common ground and mutual respect, Blanc convinced from the get-go that Jud is innocent, even after Jud loses faith in himself.
While most really enjoy these "Knives Out" mysteries, I've found their plots overly contrived and this one may be the most twisted yet, with so many moving parts it just becomes ludicrous. The real enjoyment is to be found in the casts and this one boasts a marvelous protagonist in O'Connor, whose flawed Father Jud is the perfect priest, a patient, compassionate man with an open heart full of love. Craig, a hoot in the first two, is more subdued here, playing it somewhat straight. Brolin is a better villain here than in the recent "Running Man," but Close is more fun, a religious fanatic who eventually sees real light. None of the parishioners are particularly engaging, but Bridget Everett (HBO's 'Somebody Somewhere') is endearing as Louise, a local construction company administrator who turns to Father Jud for comfort after he calls her for information, a moving scene that convinces an already convinced Blanc of Jud's goodness. Kunis is solid as the no nonsense police chief.
It was a savvy move to weave theological themes into Johnson's latest installment. Better yet, "Wake Up Dead Man" goes out with a literal wink.
Robin's Review: B
Father Jud (Josh O’Connor), once a boxer, found his faith and joined the Church. An argument with an annoying deacon lands him in Chimney Rock parish and under the very strange Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), who preaches fire, brimstone and retribution instead of love thy neighbor in “Wake Up Dead Man.”
Writer-director Rian Johnson has made a successful mystery franchise starting in 2019 with “Knives Out,” then on to “Glass Onion (2022).” The triptych plays out with the latest (and, I am sure, not the last) in the Benoit Blanc private detective series.
When Father Jud arrives at his new parish, he is confronted by Father Wicks who insists on being called Monsignor. And, when he attends the “monsignor’s” mass and sermon, it is in front of a very tiny congregation being promised vengeance. It is not what Jud, the ex-boxer, believes to be his mission. That mission is to spread love, kindness and compassion.
Then, on that fateful day, while the two celebrate mass, Wicks retires to a small alcove off to the side of the altar. Jud continues the sermon then THUD! Wicks body lays face down. Jud bends over the body and finds blood. One of the parishioners, Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), immediately examines the body and declares Wicks dead from a wolf’s head dagger in his back. Of course, Jud is the prime suspect.
After that, the famous private eye, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), arrives on the scene and begins his investigation – with the approval of local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis). He begins by questioning all of the suspects. Besides Jud, there is Martha (Glenn Close), the rectory housekeeper; Vera (Kerry Washington); writer Lee (Andrew Scott; wealthy benefactor and wheelchair bound Simone (Cailee Spaeny); and, videographer Cy (Daryl McCormack).
Rian Johnson, with the first “Knives Out,” developed his who-dun-it formula and has applied it successfully to both sequels, though I prefer this one over the other two. I think Josh O’Connor, as the put upon and dedicated Father Jud, anchors the film and the story with Benoit along for the ride to provide his southern charm and investigative cunning.
The suspects are, as usual, suspects and none really stand out, which I found to be the case in the previous two films. Here, though, we get an above average perf from Glenn Close’s as the always loyal Martha and an over the top take on the mad monsignor by Josh Brolin. Daniel Craig carries through his Benoit character with his usual grace.
It took two tries for Rian Johnson to hit the right spot and “Wake Up Dead Man” does that for me – because of Josh O’Connor’s solid performance.
Netflix releases "Wake Up Dead Man" in select theaters on 11/26/25. It begins streaming on 12/12/25.
