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Hollywood’s latest fancy mystery, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, has landed and conservative audiences should pay attention. The film is already being discussed across the cultural spectrum and even Ben Shapiro took the time to review it on his channel, which is telling — when a mainstream hit gets noticed by conservative voices, it means the story is punching through the usual coastal echo chamber. What we’re witnessing is more than entertainment; it’s a contest over who gets to tell the stories that shape our national imagination.
Rian Johnson brings Benoit Blanc back to a small-town church mystery that, on paper, looks like classic Agatha Christie territory transposed into modern America. The ensemble cast is star-studded — Daniel Craig returns as Blanc alongside Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Kerry Washington, and others — and the plot centers on a suspicious death inside a Catholic parish, which forces the movie to engage with questions of faith, authority, and community. That setting alone gives conservatives something to discuss: faith and church life are treated as real forces in public life, not props for woke caricature.
Timing and distribution matter in the culture wars, and Netflix’s rollout strategy — a short theatrical window beginning November 26 followed by a streaming debut on December 12 — shows that the streamer still cares about prestige and awards, even as it chases eyeballs. This hybrid release is how the elites in Hollywood keep their relevance while shaping the conversation for subscription audiences. Conservatives should note how distribution choices are used to amplify particular films and messages to the demographic that matters most to the awards crowd.
Critics aren’t united in politics, but they are largely impressed with this installment — the film has earned very high marks on aggregators and reviewers who praise its darker tone, its clever plotting, and a scene-stealing performance from Josh O’Connor. That’s good for conservatives who want to reclaim high-quality storytelling from a left-leaning industry: good art wins audiences regardless of the creators’ politics. We should celebrate craftsmanship even while remaining vigilant about the worldview being promoted.
That said, director Rian Johnson still can’t resist his little barbs and winks at American politics and pop culture, including an obvious Star Wars joke that doubles as a jab at self-righteousness and factionalism. Johnson’s taste for smug commentary is part of the appeal for many critics, but it’s also the part that demonstrates why Hollywood remains tone-deaf to millions of Americans who value tradition, faith, and social cohesion. Conservatives can enjoy a smart mystery while criticizing the cultural snobbery that often accompanies it.
The film’s willingness to put faith at the center of its mystery is worth noting — reviewers point out that Wake Up Dead Man treats questions of belief and moral responsibility in a way mainstream cinema rarely does these days. For those of us who care about the preservation of religious life and the institutions that bind communities together, seeing those themes taken seriously on a major platform is a rare and welcome sight. Still, we should guard our applause: Hollywood will praise its own treatment of faith while burying the voices that actually live those beliefs.
So what should patriotic Americans do? Watch with your family, think critically, and don’t let Netflix or the critics buffer your judgment. Vote with your dollars and your attention: if a film treats faith and community with respect while offering genuine entertainment, it deserves support, but continue to demand art that reflects the full spectrum of American values, not just the fashionable angles. Conservative commentators like Ben Shapiro engaging with mainstream films helps push back on the cultural monopolies, so keep the conversation loud and principled.
