Knives Out

Knives Out

Year: 2001

Runtime: 4 mins

Language: English

Director: Michel Gondry

RomanceMusicHorror

So knives out. Catch the mouse. Squash his head. Put him in the pot. A promotional video for Radiohead’s “Knives Out.”

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Knives Out yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Knives Out (2001)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Knives Out (2001). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary, late 2010s

The movie is set in the late 2010s, reflecting modern societal issues, technology, and media. This period features a mixture of traditional wealth displayed through the mansion and modern political and social tensions among the family members, adding contemporary relevance to the narrative.

Location

Thrombey Mansion

The Thrombey mansion is an expansive, historically styled estate filled with quirky antiques, display knives, and mystery novels. It serves as the central setting for much of the story, symbolizing wealth, family legacy, and hidden secrets. The house's layout, including secret staircases and hidden passages, plays a key role in the plot's twists.

🏰 Mansion 🖼️ Elegant 🕵️‍♂️ Private Residence

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

Main Characters – Knives Out (2001)

Meet the key characters of Knives Out (2001), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Marta Cabrera

A kind-hearted, undocumented nurse who cares deeply for Harlan Thrombey. She is honest, compassionate, and unwittingly becomes the center of the family's investigation due to her integrity and moral strength. Her character challenges societal prejudices and highlights the theme of goodness triumphing over greed.

🎭 Compassion 🧬 Underdog 🛡️ Morality

Ransom Drysdale

The manipulative and entitled grandson who harbors resentment towards his family. He is cunning and willing to go to great lengths—including framing Marta—to gain his inheritance. His traits include greed, cunning, and a sense of superiority.

🎭 Greed 🦊 Deception 🧠 Manipulative

Benoit Blanc

A sharp and intuitive private detective hired to solve Harlan’s murder. Blanc’s calm demeanor and analytical skills allow him to uncover the truth, emphasizing themes of justice and moral clarity. His presence provides a moral compass amidst the family's chaos.

🕵️‍♂️ Detective 🔍 Analytical ⚖️ Justice

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

Major Themes – Knives Out (2001)

Explore the central themes of Knives Out (2001), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️‍♂️ Mystery & Deception

The film explores themes of mystery, deception, and hidden motives within a wealthy family. Investigations, secrets, and the uncovering of lies drive the plot, illustrating how appearances can conceal darker truths.

💰 Inheritance & Greed

The story critically examines greed and family dynamics centered around inheritance. The coveted estate and changing will reveal underlying greed, entitlement, and familial conflict, highlighting how wealth influences relationships.

❤️ Compassion & Integrity

At its core, the film emphasizes compassion, moral integrity, and doing what's right. Marta’s good heart and honesty stand in contrast to the greed and duplicity of others, representing the importance of kindness amid chaos.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Complex Whodunit Puzzles like in Knives Out

Stories where every character is a suspect in a tightly-woven puzzle.If you liked the clever plotting and unexpected twists of Knives Out, you'll enjoy these movies. This section features complex murder mysteries and intricate whodunits where the investigation is a cerebral puzzle, full of deception and surprising reveals.

cerebralsuspensefulmysteriousanxiouspuzzlingclaustrophobic

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically revolve around a central crime, often a murder, investigated within a confined setting or social group. The story structure is complex, employing flashbacks, multiple perspectives, and misdirection to conceal the true culprit, leading to a climactic unveiling of the solution.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together because they share a primary focus on plot complexity and intellectual engagement. They feature a steady, tense pacing driven by the investigation, a high-stakes atmosphere, and a satisfaction derived from solving the puzzle alongside the detective.

Darkly Humorous Family Secrets like in Knives Out

Where wealthy, corrupt families unravel under the pressure of their own greed.For viewers who enjoyed the dysfunctional family dynamics and satirical edge of Knives Out. These movies feature wealthy, corrupt families whose greed and deception lead to tense, darkly humorous dramas about betrayal and moral collapse.

darkly humoroustenseanxioussatiricaldysfunctionalbetrayal

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows an outsider or a crisis exposing the rotten core of a wealthy, dysfunctional family. The journey involves unraveling layers of deception, betrayal, and moral compromise, often culminating in a bittersweet resolution where justice is served but lasting damage remains.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their central theme of family corruption, a tense and anxious mood fueled by secrets, and a tone that balances serious themes with darkly comedic observations on greed and class disparity.

Unlock the Full Story of Knives Out

Don't stop at just watching — explore Knives Out in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Knives Out is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Knives Out Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Knives Out, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Knives Out Summary

Knives Out Timeline

Track the full timeline of Knives Out with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Knives Out Timeline

Knives Out Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Knives Out that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Knives Out Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Knives Out

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Knives Out: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Knives Out