I’ve said it before, and I know I’ll say it again. I love a good noir, and Knox Goes Away directed by and starring, Micheal Keaton may be one of my new favourites. making fantastic use of his framing, lighting, score and production, Knox Goes Away, despite its modern trappings, feels like a throwback to those classic 40s films of the genre.

John Knox (Keaton) is the man with the plan hitman who has just been delivered a terrifying diagnosis by his doctor, he is suffering from Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, and the dementia is going to set in quick. It’s going to be weeks not months.

After a mistake on a hit puts the LA police on his tail, he’s shocked when his estranged son, Miles (James Marsden) comes to him for help. It seems Miles has killed someone, and his father is the only one that can help him.

So Knox goes to work, even as he is struggling with the quickly onsetting degenerative mental condition. He’s trying to get all of his affairs in order, and hopefully find a way to help Miles before he’s incapable of helping anyone.

He relies on some help from his friend, Xavier (Al Pacino), but it all comes down to Knox’s plan, and his little notebook as piece after piece falls into place.

Layered with plenty of dark humour, Keaton knocks this one out of the park. His portrayal of Knox is spot-on as we watch a man who relied on his intelligence and knowledge start to slowly crumble until all that is left is a father who wants to redeem himself and keep his son out of prison.

Keaton’s film is masterful and looks fantastic, and the performances he gets from his cast are tonally perfect for the film he delivers. An incredibly smart piece of storytelling that fits perfectly into the Noir genre, Knox Goes Away ticks all the boxes, smart, funny, emotional, and has lots to talk about after the credits roll.

I’ve been with Keaton since Night Shift, and this may very well end up being one of my all-time favourite performances from him. He never oversells Knox’s illness, he shows it as a struggle, and Knox is very aware of the ticking clock, whether he can still hear it or not.

A fantastic film.

Knox Goes Away is one to seek out, keep your ear to the ground, and your eyes peeled, and find a way to see this film. It’s worth it!