Knox Goes Away review: Michael Keaton directs himself in a by-the-numbers thriller

What is it with Michael Keaton and hitmen? The first feature he directed—the little-seen The Merry Gentleman (2008)—is about a contract killer, and so is this week’s Knox Goes Away, his sophomore film. Both characters have moral dilemmas that reveal them as good-hearted despite being cold-blooded killers. Is it just a coincidence or something Keaton is obsessed with as an artist? Sadly, Knox Goes Away does not offer any clues as it is a strictly by-the-numbers thriller that does not have much artistic merit.

Billing itself as a “noir,” Knox Goes Away has an intriguing premise. How does a methodical, cautious man who does not make any move without carefully planning it out deal with a dementia diagnosis? John Knox (Keaton) is an over-educated and well-read former military man who makes his living as a contract killer. When he discovers that he’s literally losing his mind, his estranged son (James Marsden) gets into trouble. To save his son from going to jail for a vengeance-motivated murder, he has to plan and execute an elaborate scheme. The police (Suzy Nakamura and John Hoogenakker) are on his heels and the only people who can help him are a shady crook from his past (Al Pacino) and a sex worker (Joanna Kulig) who became his friend. Both have ulterior motives. Are they really helping him or do they just want to take advantage of his deteriorating mind and swindle him out of his life savings?

The script, credited to Gregory Poirier, fails to make any of these characters specific. They are defined by plot contrivances, not motives. The whodunnit and how they did it part of the film is a slog, though it’s supposed to be a puzzle the audience tries to put together alongside the proceedings. Unfortunately, with limp, elongated scenes rendering them unexciting, the whole plot unfolds like a long afterthought the filmmakers had after the audience lost all interest.

As a filmmaker, Keaton has a no-frills approach that seems in opposition to his acting style. As an actor, he always has a glimmer of danger in his eyes, something that announces his characters are much more than meets the eye. As a filmmaker, he doesn’t add any sparks or flair. The color palette is dull, the costumes are unmemorable, the camera positions predictable and unenticing. There’s nothing on-screen to capture the audience’s imagination beyond the plot and performances. To capture the lead character’s declining mental state, Keaton resorts too many times to a disconcerting fade out to black. Instead of illuminating Knox’s state of mind, it cuts the tension out of scenes. It’s a thriller devoid of thrills.

As an actor, Keaton fares better. He gives a grounded, methodical performance with controlled physicality that clearly telegraphs why Knox is successful at his job. As dementia takes over, Keaton’s eyes start getting duller and his face less focused. No one else in the film matches his commitment. Marsden is unable to give his murderer-for-vengeance character any inner life. His motivations and conflicted persona never amount to anything beyond surface-level dialogue readings. In the thankless role of plot exposition deliverer, Nakamura throws out her lines without any conviction, making a dull movie even duller. Pacino is quite literally always shown sitting down, depleting his character of any energy. For such an accomplished actor, it is surprising that Keaton can’t coax an interesting performance from any member of his cast beyond his own.

With a contrived plot, sluggish rhythm, and unengaging performances, Knox Goes Away ends up being a rather perplexing endeavor. The only interesting question that it leaves the audience with is: How come it was made at all when there’s clearly no passion behind any of its elements whatsoever?