Pop Culture Happy Hour (NPR)

Episode: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery And What’s Making Us Happy

Date: December 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery," the third installment of Rian Johnson's beloved whodunit series. The discussion features hosts Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris—the Core Four—who explore the film's somber yet empathetic tone, strong performances, and unique handling of faith. They also share what's making them happy this week, from music to board games, maintaining their thoughtful, witty, and lively discussion style throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Film Synopsis & Setup ([02:09–03:51])

• The film features Daniel Craig reprising his role as Benoit Blanc, this time investigating the murder of a conservative priest (Josh Brolin) during a small-town Good Friday mass.
• Suspects include notable actors: Josh O’Connor (Father Judd), Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, and Thomas Hayden Church.
• The tone differs from prior movies, with a "darker" and more "melancholy" vibe while maintaining sharp humor.

2. Emotional Weight & Themes ([03:52–05:30])

• Linda Holmes describes the film as:

  “...as an emotional story, it's the most satisfying of the three... There's a melancholy at the center of it... and not for nothing, the very rare, really good American mainstream movie about faith, which you just don't find that many of. I loved this.” ([04:37])

• The panel agrees this entry is the most emotionally rich and narratively ambitious, with a focus on kindness, compassion, and sincere exploration of faith.

3. Standout Scenes ([05:32–08:28])

• Stephen Thompson highlights a scene where Father Judd prays with a stranger over the phone (played by Bridget Everett), showing the film’s empathetic approach:

  “...all of a sudden, you stop and you get this brief glimpse of, like, what this job is, what the stakes are... and it's clearly unlocked something in Benoit Blanc as well. It's a wonderful moment.” ([07:17])

• The emotion and direction in this scene anchor Judd as the film’s heart, and the decision to focus on his reactions deepens the viewer's empathy.

4. Cinematic Approach & Lighting ([08:22–09:33])

• Aisha Harris and Linda Holmes praise the film’s use of lighting to reflect mood:

  “There are moments where you're in this beautiful church and the light starts coming and it comes directly on Judd's face sometimes, or it might just shine and the sun is all of a sudden appearing... the movie does so, so much with the lighting...” ([09:29])

• The film draws on Poe-like atmosphere—dark, cold, and dreary—balanced by moments of warmth and grace.

5. Faith, Anger, and Complexity ([09:33–10:29])

• The movie is “not skeptical of faith, but skeptical of those who protest too much,” exploring the intersection of faith and anger.
• Aisha Harris notes:

  "It's about faith, but it's also about anger and how those things fuel both faith and religion... it's probably my favorite of the three so far." ([10:29])

6. Characterizations & Ensemble Casting ([10:32–14:13])

• Glen Weldon reiterates the importance of “shagginess” (complexity) in cozy mysteries—the scripts prioritize character beats over airtight plotting.
• The cast is universally praised:
  • Josh O’Connor’s Father Judd is “the most alive, the most interesting” sympathetic suspect yet.
  • Glenn Close provides comic and emotional relief:

    “I wonder if there's gonna be a point in this movie where it's just Glenn Close off the top rope and the answer is yes.” ([11:50])

  • Love shown for Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, and Cailee Spaeny, though the hosts wish for more screen time for some.
  • Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc remains "kind and compassionate," with new dimensions added to Blanc's ego.
  • The panel notes some suspects feel underdrawn—a direct result of time invested in Judd's story.

7. Humor and Signature Writing ([15:23–15:56])

• The movie keeps its sense of humor despite the weighty themes, with running jokes (e.g., Glenn Close’s “jump scares” and a memorable church organ gag).
• Glenn Weldon quotes a particularly funny line:

  “There's a line where Joshua Connor’s character describes himself as young, dumb and full of Christ. That's a funny line.” ([15:56])

8. The Mystery’s Construction & Payoff ([16:50–19:33])

• The hosts debate whether the pleasure is in the “whodunit” or “howdunit/whydunit”—ultimately, it’s the journey and unraveling of motives that sustains interest.
• Linda Holmes:

  “To me, they're not built that way. It's not necessarily gonna have like a, you know, so and so did it. And that's the end.” ([19:33])

9. Group Consensus ([19:34])

• The panel gives a rare, enthusiastic, and harmonious endorsement of the film.

Notable Quotes

• Linda Holmes:

  “The mood of this one is somewhat darker. It's less jokey, I think, than the other two. It's certainly less jokey than Glass Onion, and there is a melancholy at the center of it.” ([04:08])

• Stephen Thompson:

  “To me, it is such an act of filmmaking empathy. You are suddenly drawn into this woman's story, and you understand what makes him tick and why he's good at his job.” ([07:17])

• Aisha Harris:

  “This is the scene. That is... what I don’t want to say elevates this movie because the movie is already operating on a completely different level than most movies about these subject matters do.” ([08:28])

• Glenn Weldon:

  “You have to come to these movies knowing that in another, shagginess is a feature, not a bug... What you come to any, I guess, cozy mystery for really, is character beats, character moments.” ([10:32])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:09] — Episode opens with film summary, cast rundown
• [03:52] — Linda Holmes’ first impressions and emotional assessment
• [05:32] — Stephen Thompson’s favorite scene (Bridget Everett phone call)
• [08:22] — Aisha Harris: Lighting and atmosphere
• [10:29] — Discussion of faith, anger, and sociopolitical resonance
• [11:50] — Shout-out to Glenn Close’s performance
• [13:08] — Comments on secondary cast (Washington, Scott, Renner)
• [15:23] — Lindy Holmes highlights ongoing humor (“church organ joke”)
• [16:50] — Whodunit vs. how/why-dunit structure
• [19:34] — Group consensus: full-throated endorsement

What’s Making Us Happy This Week

[22:04–29:49]

• Linda Holmes:
  David Byrne’s Tiny Desk Concert ([22:04])

  “You can really get the physicality of not just his work in this, but also all of the members of the ensemble... Every individual person in the ensemble is fun to watch.”

• Stephen Thompson:
  “A Dawning” by Ólafur Arnalds and Talos ([23:58])

  “It's so beautiful. It's called A Dawning by Olafur Arnalds and Talos.”

• Aisha Harris:
  “The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)” by Luther Vandross ([25:55])

  “It's just a fun song that somehow people have forgotten... maybe if you grew up in a Black household in the '90s, or you were a Black person of a certain age in the '90s, you know this album.”

• Glenn Weldon:
  The board game Viticulture ([27:55])

  “The coolest thing about this game... is that you choose what time of the morning your workers wake up. And if you make them wake up very early, they can block your opponents... but if you let them sleep in, they'll be much happier and they will give you more bonuses.”

Conclusion

This episode is an unreserved celebration of “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The hosts champion its rich character work, smart writing, and empathy toward questions of faith, while also highlighting stellar casting and directorial choices. Together, they offer an accessible, passionate primer for anyone considering watching the film—and a few lively pop culture recommendations to brighten your week.