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In razor-sharp 'Knives Out,' Johnson revives the whodunit

Chris Evans signs autograph as he attends the premiere for "Knives Out" on day three of the Toronto International Film Festival at the Princess of Wales Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

TORONTO — One of the biggest hits of the Toronto International Film Festival is an old-fashioned whodunit.

Rian Johnson’s murder mystery “Knives Out” is a star-studded, affectionate ode to Agatha Christie, with some contemporary twists on the genre. The film stars Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer and Ana de Armas.

The film is Johnson’s first since the “The Last Jedi,” the contentious “Star Wars” installment. He originally intended it to be his follow-up to “Looper.”

In an interview, Johnson says he grew up reading Christie’s books and is a particular fan of the film adaptations starring Peter Ustinov as the detective Poirot.

Jake Coyle, The Associated Press