Michael Keaton’s Underrated Thriller From 2023 Is Now Streaming & One Detail Makes It a Must Watch

Michael Keaton stars in the underappreciated 2023 psychological thriller Knox Goes Away, which is currently trending on Max thanks to a behind-the-scenes tidbit that intensifies the excitement upon its release. Despite receiving a mediocre amount of praise from critics, Keaton’s thriller has an impressive audience Rotten Tomatoes score of 84%. The narrative, which highlights actor Kevin Bacon’s dramatic and action skills, centers on a contract killer who has been diagnosed with a severe form of dementia called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

The movie defies easy classification as a noir or thriller since it has dark humor scattered throughout (“Even if I hated you for telling me, I’d forget soon enough,” says Knox in one scene). These light-hearted moments may help to explain why the movie is regarded as a misunderstood classic. While there are some pacing issues, Knox Goes Away is an ambitious thriller and a compelling drama, with the memory loss theme adding to its urgency. Although the movie is somewhat divisive, it’s an intriguing addition to Keaton’s resume – not least because of his involvement behind the camera as the movie’s director.

Summary

• Knox Goes Away, starring Michael Keaton, is an underrated thriller with an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
• The film blends drama, action, and dark comedy, exploring themes of identity and redemption through its protagonist Knox.
• Keaton’s dual role as actor and director adds depth to the film, showcasing his versatility and storytelling capabilities.

Michael Keaton’s Knox Goes Away Is Now Trending on Max

The Seasoned Actor Plays an Equally Seasoned Hitman

Knox Goes Away is an action film with a strong psychological undertone. An assassin who has reached the end of his life and become hardened has a terrible decision: either take advantage of one last chance at atonement or die within weeks from a severe and brutal form of dementia. He has to make peace with his violent past and his hopeless future when his estranged son’s life is at stake. The title of the movie sums up Knox’s persona as a dying man, divorced parent, convicted felon, and recovering patient. Knox, played by Keaton, personifies the frequently misunderstanding aspects of identity, shame, and atonement.

A movie like Knox Goes Away sticks out as a welcome diversion from the superhero epics and franchise installments that bombard moviegoers nowadays. It echoes the suspenseful atmosphere of psychological thriller classics like Shutter Island, where the line between reality and faulty memory is blurred. In an interview with JoBlo alongside his costar with James Marsden, it’s pointed out that filmmakers are much more “risk-averse” – Keaton’s willingness to take risks and explore uncharted territory is a testament to his artistry, especially when compared to the industry’s reliance on familiar IP.

Knox Goes Away Is One of Michael Keaton’s Best Performances in Recent Years

Keaton Gives a Career-Best Performance in This Tense Drama

Even though the supporting cast gives excellent performances, Keaton is unquestionably the star of the movie.

The crazy Riggan Thomson or the moody Batman are just two examples of the edge-of-your-seat characters that Michael Keaton is well known for his dynamic interpretations of. This movie marks a turning point in his life. His portrayal of a man battling dementia’s swift onset is a masterwork in nuanced passion. Keaton portrays Knox’s proactive opposition despite his rapidly failing mental state by skillfully navigating the character’s complexity. Even though the supporting cast gives excellent performances, Keaton is unquestionably the star of the movie. It is both tragic and uplifting to read about his nuanced examination of a dad who is motivated to influence his son’s future.

Throughout his acting career, Keaton has always questioned stereotypes, demonstrating his capacity to change. Directors often cast themselves in familiar roles, limiting their range and preventing them from exploring new characters. He can’t be accused of this. His portrayal of a character grappling with the inevitability of his memory loss is a testament to his versatility. By venturing into this challenging territory, Keaton demonstrates a willingness to explore the complexities of human nature. This performance solidifies his chameleon status, capable of inhabiting any role with layered intensity.

Michael Keaton Directing Knox Goes Away Makes It Even Better

Keaton’s Actor-Director Blend Enhances Its Tone

The Merry Gentleman, directed by Michael Keaton, was a grimy neo-noir thriller that prioritized suspense and criminality. It had an eerie, atmospheric tone and a tendency toward surprising turns. Keaton explores more emotionally nuanced ground in Knox Goes Away. The movie is a character-driven drama with noir undertones that needs to be handled carefully. He strikes a balance between the underlying thriller narrative and the tragic aspects of dementia. This illustrates Keaton’s growing maturity as a director because it shows a wider variety in his storytelling. He demonstrates his versatility as a director by directing across genres with a strong voice.

He compared the process of directing Knox Goes Away like playing Jenga (Indiewire). This is when his background in acting comes into play. connection to his character prioritizes authenticity, capturing the character’s internal turmoil. His directorial hand is evident in the film’s deliberate pacing, which mirrors the rapid decline of Knox’s memories and reflexes. By maintaining a tight focus on character and atmosphere, Keaton crafts a tense and emotionally charged movie that elevates his own performance. This blend of actor and director creates a two-fold appeal – Knox Goes Away is both deeply personal and cinematic.

Michael Keaton’s Action Thriller With 83% RT Audience Score Gets VOD Release Date

A digital release date has been announced for Michael Keaton’s crime thriller Knox Goes Away, which currently has an 83% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The crime thriller film, directed and headlined by Michael Keaton, centers on the titular contract killer who, upon discovering that he has a rare and fast developing form of dementia, is given the chance to atone for his past transgressions by saving the life of his estranged adult son. James Marsden, Suzy Nakamura, Joanna Kulig, Ray McKinnon, John Hoogenakker, Lela Loren, Marcia Gay Harden, and Al Pacino are among the other cast members besides Keaton.

A digital distribution date has been announced for Keaton’s criminal thriller, following a quiet run at the box office. According to Collider, Knox Goes Away debuts on digital platforms on May 21, where it will be available to rent for $5.99 and buy for $14.99. The movie will also be available on Blu-ray and DVD on May 28 from $24.99.

How Was Knox Goes Away Received?

Knox Goes Away, which made relatively little impact at the box office, will now be available on digital platforms. The film’s distribution rights were purchased by Saban Films after its September 2023 debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. On March 15, the film was released in American theaters. With no major studio release and virtually no marketing, Knox Goes Away brought in a pitiful $264,537 at the box office.

Reviews for Knox Goes Away were surprisingly good, despite the fact that very few people saw the movie in theaters. Following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, critics praised Keaton for directing himself and delivering an impressive performance in the process, though he was ultimately let down by writer Gregory Poirier’s lackluster script. Coupled with its 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes from 50+ verified ratings, the movie has a slightly lower 61% score from the critics, and its consensus reads:

Michael Keaton directs Michael Keaton in Knox Goes Away, and gets a terrific performance out of himself — albeit one that’s left stranded by an underwhelming screenplay.

Knox Goes Away is the second film in Keaton’s directing career to yield mixed results. The Merry Gentleman, in which he also starred, is the only film that actor and director Michael Keaton has directed previously in his illustrious career, which includes an Oscar nomination for starring in Birdman. Like Knox Goes Away, the 2008 neo-noir picture had a great Sundance picture Festival debut, earning $322,581 at the box office despite no one seeing it in theaters. Perhaps Knox Goes Away’s internet release will increase awareness of Keaton’s directing endeavors, which have not yet garnered much praise.

The Merry Gentleman may be seen for free on Plex, The Roku Channel, and Tubi in addition to being streamed on Peacock.

Knox Goes Away

Michael Keaton stars in and directs Knox Goes Away, a crime-thriller film that initially premiered in 2023 at the Toronto International Film Festival. John Knox, a hitman, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of dementia. After his new condition causes one of his contract jobs to go wrong, he decides to retire – until his son appears at his door, having committed a crime he has no way out of. Racing against time, Knox utilizes his skills and connections to save his son before dementia completely takes hold of his mind.

Leading man: Michael Keaton

Date of Publication: September 10, 2023

Brook Street Pictures and Sugar 23 are the studio(s).

Distributor(s): Film Saban

Writers: Poirier, Gregory

Cast: James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden, Michael Keaton, Joanna Kulig, and Al Pacino

Duration: 114 minutes

Primary Genre: Horror