Movie Review: ‘King Of Knives’

Review by James Lindorf

A lot of firsts went into creating King of Knives. Jon Delgado is a first-time director, having spent most of his 25-year career in Hollywood with a camera in his hand. First-timer Lindsay Joy wrote the script for Delgado’s refreshing comedy based on a story by star Gene Pope. He also made his debut as a storyteller. One last newcomer who deserves a shoutout is Roxi Pope, making her film debut and doing an excellent job. Her humor is biting, but the honest and relatable nature quickly made her my favorite character. King of Knives centers on Frank and his family as they threaten to spiral out of control and away from each other as they approach a heartbreaking anniversary. The film stars Gene Pope, Mel Harris, Roxi Pope, and Emily Bennett. On Tuesday, December 1st, Gravitas Ventures will release King of Knives on all major VOD and Digital platforms.

It has been 28 years since Frank and Kathy got married, and like any couple, they have had their ups and downs. The last year, in particular, has been a rough one. Frank is in the midst of a mid-life crisis, complete with a shiny red sports car. While Kathy likes to pretend she’s happy and doesn’t drink that much wine. They have two daughters, the Stepford wife in training Sadie who is the perfect daughter on paper. Then there is free-spirited Kaitlin, who lacks a filter and is never afraid to speak what’s on her mind. It is also coming up to the anniversary of their son Danny’s death by suicide. The next three days will include plenty of humor and lots of drama as the family careens towards a complete collapse. If they manage to hold it together, they might have a chance at being the family they’ve always wanted to be.

With so many people tackling a new job, it should come as no surprise that King of Knives is a little rough around the edges. Most of the acting is fine, with some very good moments thrown in. However, about 5% is just flat out bad and should have been cut if possible. I would say they should have recast, but new actors and reshoots would not have been within the film’s tiny budget. Where the film shines is in its powerful and heartfelt messaging.

Pope and Joy obviously have a lot of thoughts about romantic and familial relationships and the dangers of homophobia. It is truly impressive that if you listen closely, you can learn a lot about regret, making decisions, and communicating. Usually, for a film to have such a strong message, I am left feeling like the message mallet hammered me. This time around, I found myself reflecting on the message and whether I agreed with the characters or not.

I could see King of Knives getting a big-time Hollywood remake in a few years. Pope is a poor man’s Mark Ruffalo making the Avenger an obvious choice for Frank’s role in a retooled version akin to Infinitely Polar Bear. I would be happy to see Pope return but could also see someone like Kristen Stewart or Anna Kendrick in the role. Whether that version ever comes to be or audiences search out this one King of Knives definitely deserves some time in the spotlight.