Legendary Batman Actor Directs Himself In Suspenseful Crime Thriller On Max

Knox Goes Away sees Michael Keaton stepping into a triple-threat role as director, co-producer, and star. The film follows Keaton as a retired contract killer who is diagnosed with a rapidly evolving form of dementia. With the time he has left, he tries to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged son.

Knox Goes Away has quite a bit of star power, with Michael Keaton in the lead and the rest of the cast being rounded out by James Marsden, Al Pacino, Suzy Nakamura, Joanna Kulig, Ray McKinnon, John Hoogenakker, Lela Loren, and Marcia Gay Harden. But does the film live up to what Keaton is capable of? It really depends on who you ask.

Knox Goes Away received fairly mixed reviews upon its release. However, the reviews almost unanimously praise Michael Keaton for bringing a nuanced and complex performance to what is overall a middling thriller.

Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review gave the movie credit for being a solid character-driven tale, saying, “It’s a small movie more concerned with character and relationship stories than it is with big-budget thrills or epic set pieces.” So, if you’re someone who wants a bombastic spectacle, then you might be better off looking elsewhere.

Carla Hay of Culture Mix gave the film a Rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes, saying, “Knox Goes Away has the benefit of director/star Michael Keaton’s acting talent, but this movie about an assassin with dementia is dragged down by an uneven tone and a nonsensically convoluted screenplay with plot holes.” As mentioned, the theme here seems to be that Keaton brings a great performance to the table. If that’s enough for you, then you might enjoy the film despite the fact that the actual content is not extremely gripping.

Steven Prokopu of Third Coast Review echoed this, saying, “Knox Goes Away is an aggressively average movie that is elevated by its performances, especially Keaton, who digs deep even where the ground is shallow.” Of course, no one really expects anything less from Michael Keaton, who does a pretty great job regardless of the script he’s working with. He was half the reason most people went to see The Flash, even if Keaton is probably over the Batman role at this point.

Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media gave the film a pretty glowing review, saying, “Keaton’s second directorial effort is both a quietly touching human drama and a tense, race-against-time thriller.” Based on the mixed reviews for Knox Goes Away, there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy it if you’re a fan of Michael Keaton and quiet thrillers. If you’re a little tired of the genre, it might not be for you.

Knox Goes Away could also be a good way to hold you over until Michael Keaton returns to one of his other most iconic roles later this year in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The highly-anticipated sequel follows the Deetz family as Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife and summons Beetlejuice. Along with Keaton, the film stars Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, and Monica Belluci.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to hit theaters on September 6. In the meantime, you can watch Knox Goes Away to see Michael Keaton in a more serious role before then. The film is available to stream now over on Max.