Peeling Back The Layers of The Glass Onion

By Anya Patri 

As a sequel to the hit whodunit Knives Out, Glass Onion lives up to its predecessor and tackles issues of wealth and class, deep diving from out-of-touch influencers to corrupt politicians with hilariously campy characters and a cleverly crafted yet surprisingly simple narrative. 

When I sat down to watch the movie Glass Onion, I was excited for a complex mystery to be unraveled by Detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig) with its share of twists and turns, but an ultimately happy ending; something similar to its predecessor, Knives Out, which was one of my favorite mysteries from the past few years. Glass Onion did deliver, but not in the way I expected. It was complex, but simple at the same time, containing a couple of major twists but still having a predictable antagonist. While the movie itself is dramatic and over-the-top, it is rooted in the truth, especially regarding the theft of intellectual property and the out-of-touch nature of the one percent. More than a mystery, this movie feels like a social commentary and a dark comedy mixed together.

Taking place during the global pandemic, Glass Onion follows a group of obscenely wealthy people dependent on their billionaire sponsor and long-time best friend, Miles Bron, and their night on his private island as a murder mystery party turns into the real thing. Detective Benoit Blanc is there as well but the person who invited him is unclear. As the story unfolds, we as an audience grow to understand the tensions in the friend group and how each of them resent but depend on Miles. I won’t go into too much detail regarding the plot itself, but I will fill you in on the elements of it I enjoyed so that you can experience it yourself. 

My favorite aspects of the movie were by far the characters and their individuality. The friend group consists of a canceled influencer and her assistant, an alpha male streamer and his girlfriend, a corrupt politician, a morally gray scientist, and the billionaire who claims to bring them all together. It’s incredibly fun to watch this cast interact, especially with their distinctly flawed personalities and actions. They are horribly bad people, but it’s enjoyable to watch their comeuppance throughout the film. Featuring a cast of greatly talented actors from Kate Moss to Dave Bautista, the delivery of the silly dialogue sounds incredibly sincere and natural. 

Another great thing about this film is the mystery aspect. I mentioned that I thought it was more of a social commentary, but the elements of suspense add a lot to the movie. Glass Onion is filled with tension, but at the end of it, every suspicious occurrence or unexplained circumstance is wrapped up perfectly with the ending reveal. It feels like each and every element of this movie is intentional, from Miles’ made up words to the architecture of the island, and there isn’t an element out of place throughout.

Of course, the movie wouldn’t be complete without Detective Blanc and his shenanigans. Glass Onion takes a page from Knives Out and doesn’t center the story around Blanc himself, though. Instead, we focus on Janelle Monet’s characters of Helen Brand and her twin sister, Andi, who have both been wronged by the friend group. Their presence adds a seriousness to the story and grounds it without being too heavy handed. Helen acts as a foil to the rich and privileged whining that the group often does, forcing them to face their flaws and mistakes. While Blanc is essential to the plot, he doesn’t have as prominent a role as the Brand sisters, nor as defined a character. Focusing the story around someone who has been wronged by the rich and powerful is a powerful statement in the scope of the film, and it gives the audience a heroine to root for. 

While the ending of this movie might not surprise you, it definitely creates a sense of catharsis and satisfaction. With no loose ends, the film’s complexity boils down to a very simple solution; like a glass onion, its layers are see through. It’s still fun to peel them back while watching, however, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone interested in a fun, dramatic, and surprisingly poignant story that will make you love and hate its characters at the same time. 

_{Images credited to Netflix}