What does Gwyneth Paltrow think of “Knives Out”?
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 11:31PM by Cláudio Alves
This year’s been full of filmmakers commenting on other’s movies, auteurs criticizing blockbuster franchises and Hollywood stars lashing back. The Scorsese-Marvel wars are still active on social media and each day that goes by, another film professional adds their own two cents on the kerfuffle. To be honest, I don’t care about Chris Evans’ views on Scorsese or Michael Haneke’s opinion on Iron Man. However, it’d be lovely to read a certain Marvel-star’s reaction to the most delicious murder comedy of the holiday season.
Wouldn’t everyone love to know what Gwyneth Paltrow thinks of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out? I certainly would…
In this wacky whodunnit, Toni Collette plays Joni Thrombey, the spoiled daughter-in-law of a revered crime novelist whose untimely death propels the entire narrative. She’s introduced to us right at the start of the story, one of many family members recounting the happenings of her father-in-law’s fateful last night. Her story is full of little pauses, hiccups of self-aggrandizing and airheaded remarks. When a mysterious figure reveals himself to be the famous detective Benoit Blanc, Joni promptly mentions she read a tweet about a New Yorker article about him.
Within the film’s habitat of rich assholes, Joni is a different breed of beast altogether. It’s impossible not to laugh at her antics but there’s something vaguely endearing about her nonsense and selfish absurdity. When she starts going on about her work as an influencer and her lifestyle enterprise called Flam, you get why this insufferable economical leech is so familiar, monstrous and enticing, all at the same time. It’s because she’s Gwyneth Paltrow, of course.
Joni isn’t a direct parody of the almighty Goop, but she’s awfully close and it’s hilarious. Whenever she’s onscreen, Collette steals everyone else’s spotlight, dancing manically on a corner or pouting with piteous shamelessness. In the face of such a comedic delight, it’s difficult not to wonder what Gwyneth Paltrow might think of the film. Does she recognize parts of her public persona in Joni or does it not register? Did she laugh or take it as an insult? I want to know. I guess I’m not alone. So, if any reporter out there gets the chance to interview Gwyneth, please ask her about Knives Out instead of starting another round in the Scorsese-Marvel endless debate.
Was Toni Collette’s Goop-esque Joni your favorite part of Knives Out?
Reader Comments (29)
Gwyneth: "Wait, Knives Out? Was I in that movie?"
I want to know what Jennifer Jason Leigh REALLY thought about Marriage Story. It's a low blow to present Nicole as a shallow teen-actress who becomes a real artist by his tutelage, or thanks to his theater company. Leigh was the most exciting actress of the 90's way before Noah started to make a name for himself. In the movie, he's the genius and she's making a deliberate choice to be in an awful TV show in awful LA. The more I think about it ever since I saw it 3 weeks ago, the more I'm bothered by this dishonest account of her side (Jennifer or Nicole), especially when he is doing the opposite to the male character, calling him(self) a genius (a huge stretch) or making his alter-ego character completely asexual . I love the movie. I just wish it wasn't inspired by real people... I guess the lesson here is that if you cherish your privacy, never date writers..
If Knives Out becomes a huge smash n critics fav, Maybe Toni will get in over Zhao, Bates or Bening?? 😁
It cld oso b a makeup for the recent snub for Hereditary n acknowledgement o her recent superb works on tv too!
I think Knives Out succeeds in spite of Rian Johnson and Toni Collette's parody of Gwyneth Paltrow and her successful business enterprise. After all, Modern Family has been parodying this for years. The joke has lost any edge it may have once held.
Aren't we all just a little tired of perpetuating the illusion that a professional woman with a well established business model is inept? The lingering attempts to degrade the acumen of an attractive woman who dares to be successful in the marketplace without the guidance of a man are sexist and a flaw of an otherwise masterful screenplay.
Gwyneth is a cunt. She has zero self awareness and wouldn’t even realize this is her.
Toni Collette is funny in this. I laughed several times!
@James
I appreciate the feminism but Goop is consumerism, lying to the majority of people esp women ,trying to sell a "lifestyle " that does nothing to help the average woman and using the trappings of empowerment. Any parodies are welcomed by me.
Running short on content so soon into awards season? If you have to do a fluff speculation piece go with what Leo mentioned above.
I seem to remember Toni & Gwyneth having a friendship in the 90s after starring together in Emma & The Pallbearer - I know the 90s are a long time ago but maybe it’s a well meaning gentle ribbing? Or a joke between friends? Despite the Goop rubbish Gwyneth seems to
have a sense of humour about herself (she appeared alongside Heidi Gardner on SNL to take this piss out of GOop) so hopefully she sees the humour in it?
Something tells me Gwyneth lacks the self awareness to even realize this is a parody of her.
Toni was nearly the co-MVP for me alongside Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. Then again, when Collette is in your film, her being at least a co-MVP is almost bound to happen.
@Leo, wldn't it be a just dessert/sweet ustice if Greta replaced Bauhnam in the 5th spot for director! 😂
^That's not me. I don't mock the content at TFE.
^ That's actually not me. I am able to give critiques as a commenter on content. It was a swing and a miss and I am entitled to say so. Team Experience knows I am a fan and root for their success.This is insane.
Suzanne -- Sorry you didn't like this article. I'm not used to doing shorter pieces, more on the fun side, and was trying my hand at it. Apparently, this one wasn't to everyone's taste, but I'm more or less happy with it. Don't blame Nathaniel, though, since this one was completely my idea.
Hopefully, you'll like my next pieces better. Thanks for the feedback, anyway.
The worst part of having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don't.
Great text. Filmmakers making fun of colleagues / former coworkers isn't new, of course. Billy Wilder did it to Marilyn (they had just made Some Like it Hot (1959) - and everyone knows the mess on set) in The Apartment (1960), Hitchcock did the same to former boss David O. Selznick in Rear Window (1954), Jerry Lewis to his former partner Dean Martin in The Nutty Professor (1963). In Lost in Translation (2003) Sofia Coppola based the characters of Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) and her husband John (Giovanni Ribisi) on herself and her then-husband Spike Jonze. Wait, Johansson is the artificially intelligent virtual assistant personified through a female voice that Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with, in a relationship doomed to failure in Her (2013), film directed by Spike Jonze. Does that mean anything? The best story, however, is from the movie The Vips(1963). It was based on a true story, a thinly disguised account of screenwriter Terence Rattigan's real-life friend Vivien Leigh and her attempt to leave her husband Sir Laurence Olivier for australian actor and Olivier's discovery Peter Finch. Leigh and Finch made it to London's Heathrow Airport, but their plan was delayed by incoming fog, giving Olivier time to confront the two and bring Leigh home. She abandoned the plan after several hours of fog delay. They are portrayed in the film by Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Louis Jordan. Liz replaced Leigh when she abandoned Elephant Walk (1954) in which she starred opposite her lover Peter Finch in the role of husband. The film, The Vips, was directed by Anthony Asquith who had previously worked with Leigh.
No problem Claudio. I probably came off too cold and caustic in my original comment anyway. I think I will ignore the imposters. I've been feeding the trolls far too much and need to let them wither away.
Do you watch the Murray Franklin show? I’m going to be on tonight.
I never knew I was so fascinating. I guess it's time to find a new user name now and not tell you all what it is. If you all ever see any other Suzannes posting here, they're not me.
Cláudio, you got punked.
haha love it...great article! :)
Rian should have been ironic and cast Paltrow,that would stop any negativity toward her dead in it's tracks because in spite of herself she's a fine actress.
Is there anything Toni Collette can't do well?
Rian Jonhson directed the worst "Star Wars" movie ever made- so he is not getting any of my money
Suzanne:
Good riddance
Bye felicia...er Suzanne. All “the real ones” weren’t that great anyway.
Toni kills. Period. Gwyneth chills. Colon
I had almost given up the hope of submitting my essay on time leave alone getting an “A”. Thanks to https://payforessay.net/, they helped me achieve the impossible!
It didn't occur to be that GOOP was being lampooned.
But, this whole Suzanne business is something else.