A film written by Gregory Poirier is likely to be thorough and in-depth. A film directed by and starring Michael Keaton is likely to be subtly serious and realistic. Knox Goes Away begins with the sound of a ticking clock which indicates that time is of the essence. In the story, a man’s success with criminal activities is about to hit a breaking point. This provides the motive to figure out a solution quickly.

Keaton plays John Knox, a man who has made a career as a contract killer. He has always remained under the radar and accomplished many detrimental missions. This all changes when he visits a doctor who informs him that he has a form of dementia and “There is no treatment.”  His dementia causes him to have various thought patterns and mood shifts. He continues his dirty work with the intent of stopping. This all hits a plateauwhen John fails at a crime job where there are many accidental deaths. On top of that, his son Miles (played by James Marsden) comes into his life and begs for his help. Miles finds himself in a difficult situation after accidentally killing a man to protect his daughter.

John was ready to stop making messes, but then his son createsthe most mind-boggling and life- threatening mess which needs to be cleaned up. John tries to retrace any aspect of the crime that could put his son in jail. He visits the crime scene, does a clean sweep, and deletes data from the security hard drives. Is John able to dispose of the evidence? With a detective named Emily (played by Suzy Nakamura) putting the pieces together, time is limited. John finds himself reaching out to his friend Xavier (played by Al Pacino) for assistance.

There are many stressors caused by the persistent dangers in this thriller. Most criminals have a strict discipline of keeping materials organized, but discipline becomes a blur in Knox Goes Away. The dementia echoes in John’s mind which is an indicator that the disease is progressing. John’s inevitable decline makes for a daring race to find answers and make things right.

Poirier’s writing is high caliber in Knox Goes Away. John’s thinking hits plateaus as he tries to navigate his evolving dementia. The crime scenes are staged by John, but his memory is weakening. The plot is an inventive puzzle. The messes and the fatalities caused by the botched crimes add to the suspense. 

There is also a calm feeling in the film which is enhanced by the playing of smooth jazz. The audience is left wondering…Can Miles keep his behavior straight? How serious is John’s dementia? The trail involves things getting worse before they get better.

The scenes featuring the detective stir the pot. Emily is bothsurreal and yet realistic. She goes deep with the evidence, the facts, the dynamics, and anything crucial to the case. She traces the events in order which proves the chaos will not go away in Knox Goes Away. The film has thrilling components that lead to a slippery slope that is as treacherous as a black-diamond run. Knox Goes Away’s writing reveals answers to a risky puzzle caused by someone with dementia who also a killer.  The perseverance in this movie is riveting and spellbinding due to the performances of Keaton, Marsden, and Pacino. Knox Goes Away also contains a backstory that is relentless and clever. Four stars.