The Big Picture

Michael Keaton stars in the underrated thriller
Knox Goes Away,
exploring the dark world of contract killings and the toll it takes on the hitman.
James Marsden co-stars as Keaton’s estranged son, adding depth to the father-son relationship and showcasing their chemistry.
Directed by Keaton himself, the film offers a slow-burning, character-driven story with a focus on the emotional impact of taking a life, rather than fast-paced action.

For a cutting edge, dark examination of the world of paid killings, the vastly underrated Knox Goes Away is an excellent thriller. Directed by and starring Michael Keaton, he returns to the world of fighting and killing bad guys, but this time he’s no hero. Miles away from his superhero status in Batman, Knox Goes Away is a slow-burning, enrapturing character study, and a moody rumination on the price of taking a life, and finding redemption before the final blow comes.

James Marsden co-stars in the film as Keaton’s son, but leaves most of his “Prince Charming” persona behind. Keaton and Marsden light up the screen together as an estranged father and son, and Marsden embraces his dark side that turns him into a violent menace. Not to mention the fantastic supportive performances, including a deliciously sleazy Al Pacino, Joanna Kulig, Suzy Nakamura, and Marcia Gay Harden. Despite being a nail-biter that delivers an outstanding Keaton in tip-top shape, the crime thriller slipped through the cracks when it debuted in 2023, and remains vastly underrated. Focusing on the toll of the kill rather than the kill itself, Knox Goes Away is a must-watch examination of the hit man, a character Hollywood remains fascinated by.

Knox Goes Away When a contract killer has a rapidly evolving form of dementia, he is offered an opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of the adult son with whom he had been estranged.Release Date March 15, 2024 Runtime 114 Minutes Writers Gregory Poirier Studio(s) Brookstreet Pictures , Sugar 23 Expand

What is ‘Knox Goes Away’ About?
Keaton stars as John Knox, a hit man who does contract killings with his longtime partner, “Muncie” (Ray McKinnon). Beginning to become confused and forgettable, Knox’s final job with Muncie goes bad, and lands him in trouble with law enforcement, led by a cunning detective, Emily Ikari (Nakamura). Knox then goes to a doctor and finds out he has a rare, rapid form of dementia, and has just weeks before he completely loses all memory and brain function. It’s a death sentence for him, but also his business. To make matters worse, his estranged son of decades, Miles (Marsden), arrives at his doorstep bloodied, having just committed a murder himself. Begging his father to help him cover it up, Knox has to cover up the murder of his life before he loses all memory, even though for once he didn’t do it.

Michael Keaton Is a Gruff, Scary Hit Man in ‘Knox Goes Away’

Keaton is a lively actor, beloved for his charisma and ability to raise spirits in any role, big or small, whether in Beetlejuice or as a kooky NYPD Captain in The Other Guys. In Knox Goes Away, he’s menacing, reserved, and a little scary too. We first meet Keaton in a diner with his snake-like partner, Muncie, and then we travel with them to a job despite Knox’s waning mind. Keaton slithers through the dark, dirty house like a snake himself, and despite his age, his prowess is just as daunting and intense.

The hit goes terribly wrong, with a shocking twist worthy of the accidental shooting in the car in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Accidentally killing his partner due to his ongoing confusion, Keaton unleashes contained, neat violence, just to the wrong person. His subtle portrayal of horror is all we need to know about Knox. Even in moments of chaos, he is controlled, and Keaton’s raise of an eyebrow, or bite of his lip, somehow carries more magnitude than if he ran out of there screaming or guns blazing.

While it’s a thriller, Knox Goes Away takes its time, making the action sequences that much more exciting when they arrive. Keaton was Bruce Wayne once after all, and he gets to show off that he’s still got it. With random bursts of violence, he has a grueling showdown with a crew of criminals in the third act that finds Knox back in fighting shape. As he expertly punches and jabs with books nonetheless, he proves that anything can be a weapon, including himself. Keaton is graceful, lithe, and it is more than satisfying to watch him enter the ring and throw a punch.

James Marsden Plays a Violent, Hot-Headed father
Image via FilmNation Entertainment

James Marsden gives a harrowing performance as John’s estranged, murderous son, becoming the very thing he tried so hard to get away from. Often playing lighthearted, good guys, it’s intriguing to see Marsden as a loose canon, who will stop at no lengths to protect his teenage daughter from predators. One scene finds him exploding at a patron who looks at her in passing, beating him brutally. But, the film never overdoes it or allows Miles to become a caricature of an angry man. He may seem like a wild animal, but Marsden plays him like a wounded one. With his sad puppy dog eyes, he nails the pain Miles has carried for years, thanks to his father.

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His and Keaton’s relationship and chemistry carry the movie, as they become father and son once more. One charming scene features them eating ribs at a diner, their first meal together in a long time. It’s a touching moment, and a tragedy. Keaton doesn’t overact in it, or over indulge behind the lens. Miles doesn’t know his father’s time is running out, while Knox can revel in having one last supper. Marsden discussed how amazing it was being directed by Keaton, and the subtlety of the movie:

“You don’t have to overdo it. You just got to keep it real. The worst thing you can do as an actor is muscle your way through a scene, and you know if you’re doing that, it usually isn’t going to wind up in the right place. There’s an effortless to him, and an honesty to everything he does, and when you’re around it, through osmosis you sort of absorb it. Or at least I think I do. It just sort of makes your game that much better and makes the scene come alive. And he’s just a special, gifted human being.”

Al Pacino Is A Lively, Womanizing Criminal in ‘Knox Goes Away’
Image via FilmNation Entertainment

Al Pacino has pure, unadulterated fun as a womanizing criminal coming to Knox’s aide, and it’s fun to watch too. He plays Xavier Crane, a crook who’s been in the game even longer than Knox. Pacino and Keaton’s scenes together, plotting how they’re going to get Miles off the hook for murder before Knox forgets, is the most joyous part of a very dark film. Xavier engages in dirty dealings for Knox, including procuring funds and being his driver, and Pacino’s sleaziness of playing a big-time criminal comes naturally. It’s also an opportunity for Pacino’s theatrics to take center stage, and he’s not only dressed to the nines in silk robes and tinted sunglasses, but his performance is amped up to 11 too. He hangs out in a bathtub with a bun, champagne in hand, while a woman sits on the edge, adoringly watching him. He’s charismatic and effortlessly cool. We’re getting vintage Pacino here, and a callback to all the criminals he played during his heyday, from Michael Corleone to Tony Montana.

Michael Keaton’s Direction Is Sharp, Focused, and Gritty in This Underrated Thriller

Through Keaton’s viciously detailed direction, he paints a portrait of a sad, lonely man. He often films Knox occupying large spaces all alone, exemplifying how he has made a life for himself as an invisible grim reaper. Keaton embraces the noir elements and darkness of the story, providing mood lighting as he lingers on shots of the weathered faces of killers, and refuses to rush anything. It’s partly what polarized critics, with some writing it off as a boring misfire. Others, like the NYTimes, made it a critic’s pick, praising its slowly-building story, and Keaton’s subtle performance of a man gradually dying.

Stories about hit men in Hollywood will always be in style, evident in the recent romantic comedy thriller, Hit Man, starring Glen Powell and directed by Richard Linklater. Knox Goes Away is very different, and harder to swallow, but just as effective. Littered with darkly funny moments, and some great action of Keaton battling bad guys, the misunderstood thriller goes beyond the many fast-paced, action-oriented movies about contract killers, and instead explores the toll of taking a life. It could be headed towards a cult film status in an age when audiences demand to be entertained at every second of a film. Perhaps we have forgotten how to appreciate a masterfully acted character study, that forces us to ruminate on what’s waiting for us all.

Knox Goes Away is currently available to rent or buy on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

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