The Knife

Aggravating af!

5.0/10
Such an aggravating movie - super depressing ending and thought it would be a thriller but instead it was just a really sad representation of society - the detective had to be one of the most hated characters i’ve ever seen

6.4 - I actually did like this, but it’s a meh on my scale. I’ve been back and forth all week trying to decide where I land on this one.

It’s a taut & sickeningly tense thriller, hinging on race, class, & police relations. It’s well shot & paced, & decently acted. But I’m not sure if it says enough about its subject matter to fully move the needle.

Every single person is aggravating, every decision feels wrong. The family makes questionable decisions repeatedly in the hopes of self preservation. The police, especially the lead detective, toe the lines of ethics & legality multiple times. And it all ends with a heartbreaking result that feels all too inevitable.

But with all that, I’m not sure it leaves enough time or shows enough consequence to justify most of the major moments, especially the two main with the inciting action & the end result over the start of the credits.

It definitely made me feel some of what I think was intended: tense at observing the dance done between all parties, upset at the decisions made, sick at the “justice” served without proper (legally gained?) evidence. But I’m not sure it presents a whole enough picture overall.

A solid product for its runtime and budget, and a solid directorial debut from (former NFL All-Pro!) Nnamdi Asomugha, but I wanted just a bit more.

Such a frustrating watch. Everybody takes turns pissing you off…even the baby. Not bad