Knives Out (2019)

The family of Harlan Thrombey, a wealthy mystery novelist, attends his 85th birthday party at his Massachusetts mansion. The next morning, Harlan’s housekeeper, Fran, finds him dead with his throat slit. The police believe Harlan’s death to be suicide, but private detective Benoit Blanc is anonymously paid to investigate. Blanc learns Harlan’s relationships with his various family members were strained: on the day of his death, Harlan threatened to expose his son-in-law Richard for cheating on his daughter Linda; cut off his daughter-in-law Joni’s allowance for stealing from him; fired his son Walt from his publishing company; and had an altercation with his grandson Ransom.

Unknown to Blanc, Harlan’s nurse, Marta Cabrera, accidentally mixed up his medications; she apparently overdosed him with morphine and could not find the antidote, leaving Harlan only minutes to live. Wanting to save Marta’s family from scrutiny (her mother is an undocumented immigrant), Harlan gave her instructions to create a false alibi, then slit his own throat. Harlan’s very elderly mother saw Marta carrying out his instructions, but mistook her for Ransom. Marta cannot lie without vomiting, so she gives true but incomplete answers when questioned. She agrees to assist in Blanc’s investigation, and conceals evidence of her actions as they search the property. When Harlan’s will is read, to everyone’s shock, Marta is the sole beneficiary. Ransom helps her escape the family’s wrath, but manipulates her into confessing to him; he offers his help in exchange for a share of the inheritance. The other Thrombeys try to persuade Marta to renounce the inheritance; Walt threatens to expose her mother’s immigration status.