Jimmy Stewart ain’t in this one … and it will be a wintry ice-cold day in Hell before this film makes it onto national network television during the holiday season. And yet, one cannot help but find charm in the comic horror satire It’s a Wonderful Knife, a movie about a woman who takes down a serial killer yet finds little solace in the aftermath.
It wasn’t a knife that did in our villain. Technically, the title is a bit of a mistake. But it’s hard to fault quality of title or premise in this film. I’m trying to be honest and fair with my critique, but It’s a Wonderful Knife is one of the films I looked most forward to seeing in 2023.
Angel Falls –as opposed to Bedford Falls– is the wintry hamlet locale where mover and shaker Henry Waters (Justin Long) trying to collect Park Place and Boardwalk on Christmas Eve. When the last hold out gives him the heave ho ho ho, this real estate baron dons a faceless angel costume and starts in on the murderin’.
Waters claims two victims, the remaining holdout and the best friend of Winnie Carruthers (Jane Widdop) before Winnie hooks him to a car battery. I don’t think he was grounded … which
makes sense as he was dressed an angel. The film immediately fast-forwards a year to find Winnie miserable – her best friend has been dead for a year … she the lone person who can’t put the murders behind her (which makes her a bit of a town pariah) … a Waters ally threatens her … she discovers her boyfriend has been cheating …she gets rejected by NYU … and, in the coup de grâce moment, dad gifts the favorite child a car while gifting Winnie a monogrammed track suit. It’s not a wonderful life, huh? In desperation, Winnie goes to the docks and wishes upon the aurora borealis that she’d never been born.
Be careful what you wish for. Naturally, the next scene shows the Hellscape that thrived because Winnie wasn’t there to stop it before it started. Well, pooh, Winnie. Whatchagonnado now?
I’m not going to pretend It’s a Wonderful Knife has even a fraction of the charm, humor, or emotional payoff of It’s a Wonderful Life. The latter is among my favorite films of all time. The former won’t even be among my favorite films of this fall. HOWEVER, as someone who loves a good parody and appreciates an homage to greatness, I will give Knife what it is due – this is a mildly fun slasher and a well done take on a classic. Justin Long -trying on a accent here for some reason- is almost always a person I like to see die on film and here is certainly no exception. The film even gave us a Clarence in the form of true high school pariah, Bernie (Joel McLeod). I think this film can be enjoyed by fans of both the slasher genre and the classics genre; and heaven help you if you’re both.
There once was a girl named Winnie
Who accumulated problems, many
So she, in her strife
Wished to rescind her life
And became the new Stewart, Jimmy
Rated R, 87 Minutes
Director: Tyler MacIntyre
Writer: Michael Kennedy
Genre: Great titles
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: The nostalgic
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Let’s imagine you’re some kind of monster who hated It’s a Wonderful Life … the comic horror parody homage is not going to be your thing
