What ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ taught me about confession and grace

Writer Jo Acharya shares how this unexpected murder story powerfully illustrates themes of confession and grace. Through her insights, the film becomes a profound exploration of how the Church is called to love and serve rather than judge, revealing the true heart of the Gospel.

Halfway through watching the new Knives Out movie, Wake Up Dead Man, I said to my husband, “This film is astonishing!” Christian friends had primed me to expect some pro-Jesus themes, but I was nonetheless stunned to see such a powerful presentation of the Gospel in a secular murder mystery.

The main character is a young Catholic priest, Father Jud, who is sent to a troubled church to assist the fiery Monseigneur Wicks. I won’t spoil the whodunnit (it’s a good one), but beneath the typical search for clues and culprits is a debate between two ways of understanding the Christian story: is the Church called to fight against the unbelieving world, or to love and serve it?