Michael Keaton could have come to the Toronto Film Festival last night as a director. His excellent thriller, “Knox Goes Away,” opened to a jam packed audience at the Princess of Wales Theater. Many other actors who’ve directed films at the festival have shown up even though their casts stayed away.But Keaton was a no show, which was too bad.
“Knox” is a knockout, a great thriller and mystery that features the actor as well as James Marsden in his best work ever. Marsden just about steals the film playing Keaton’s son who commits a violent murder. Of course, his genes aren’t very good as Keaton plays a hit man who is diagnosed with a form of dementia. Al Pacino, as usual, gives a glowing turn as Keaton’s boss. “I am criminal you know,” he reminds Keaton’s John Knox.
We probably won’t see “Knox” until 2024, and I think both Keaton and Marsden will get a lot of awards attention. High praise too for the well plotted screenplay– which has a lot of humor– from Gregory Poirer.
PS The movie is not all men. Joanna Kulig, so amazing in “Cold War,” is devastating as Knox’s call girl girlfriend. Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden shines as Knox’s ex wife.
