Knox Goes Away (2024): When a Hitman Mind Starts to Deteriorate

The story focuses on John Knox, an aging hit man that in one diner with his partner in crime but suddenly start experience memory loss symptoms because at the moment that he asks the waitress for a cup of coffee he forgot that he already made that request and has one cup right in front of him, he realized that something was wrong and decided to confirm what was happening. Knox take a fly to San Francisco for an appointment with a noted neurologist and after administering memory tests and a CT scan the doctor has a diagnosis, Knox has a very rear form of dementia with no cure and with a rapidly progress making him loose his sanity in weeks, this is a devastating new for Knox and force him to do everything he needs and want in a race against time. Knox returned to do a mission with his partner Muncie, getting the target and killing him, Knox noticed that a woman was also there and kills her too because that’s the way these things go but suddenly Knox feel that someone else enters the apartment and just like that he killed his partner because he forgot he was with him, due to that tragic event, he was convinced that it was the sign that he got to call it quits, after he cash out the mission he decided that was everything his mind is deteriorating so he can’t continue but the life or destiny was other because one night his son, a son with which he has no relationship at all knock his door, Miles (Knox son) arrived with his bloody hand wrapped in a towel and requesting for help, he explain to Knox that a statutory predator met his daughter online and got her pregnant, so he decided to paid him a visit to threaten him but ended stabbing and killing him. Knox decided that in fact it will be his last mission, a mission to save his son, like a redemption for all the time that he lost as a father. Knox will start a race against detective Suzy Nakamura that is in charge of both cases and that analyzed that the crimes are connected, a race against his mind to complete the mission struggling with the dementia that is increasing and the life that is losing.

Knox Goes Away premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023 and will be released on March 15th in theaters, was directed and starring by legendary actor Michael Keaton, he is giving an amazing entertainment movie about dementia that is not only about dementia, show the life of man that is flying away trying to redeem his absent in the life of his son by cleaning all the mess he created and a fight against his own mind that soon will be off but meanwhile he is going to do whatever it takes to force his brain to work until he achieve his plan.

Michael Keaton is well known for his acting career but know he is also taking the directorial role in the movie Knox Goes Away making this his second time as a director, his first movie as director was The Merry Gentleman in 2008 a movie about a woman who leaves her abusive husband to start a new life in Chicago. Keaton is a multifaceted actor but is demonstrating that is also an amazing director bringing a thriller about a man with a dementia diseases that is struggling to complete his last mission as a hit man by helping his son that has committed a crime. Keaton guide the cast and himself in a good way to deliver a movie that the audience can enjoy and creating with the trailer the interesting to know if at the end Knox complete his task.

With the high-profile cast that this movie possess the expectation of the audience is high, starting with Michael Keaton with the leading role of John Knox, Keaton is an actor that has giving many iconic performances that audience and fans love such as Beetlejuice 1988, Batman 1989, Batman Returns 1992, portrayed Vulture in Spider-Man Homecoming 2017 and Riggan Thomson in Birdman for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. James Marsden take the role of Miles (Knox son), Marsden began his acting career in the TV Series Saved by the Bell: The New Class 1993, he gained fame for his portrayals of Cyclops in the X-Men film series 2000 and for his role in the films The Notebook 2004, Enchanted 2007, 27 Dresses 2008 and the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise 2020. Al Pacino plays Xavier Crane (Knox friend), Al Pacino is renowned for his performances in The Godfather and Scarface, he is a awarded actor and is considered one of the greatest and most influential actor of the 20th century. In this movie has the role of Knox trusted friend with a shady past, adding intrigue to his role. Marcia Gay Harden portrays Knox’s ex-wife, Harden is an actress that has develop her carrier in theater, television and in the big screen, her rise arrived with the film Miller’s Crossing 1990 but in 2000 her portrayal of artist Lee Krasner in the movie Pollock made her win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actrees consolidating her career.

The movie directed by Michael Keaton, Knox Goes Away, is a story of reflection, making the audience think in what will be their actions if they are notify that has a short time not of life but of lucidity because the brain is going to stop working, in the case of Knox that is a hit man and a absent father the way that he is going to live against the clock is by trying to redeem his actions helping his son that never met. The topic of the story also submerges in the perspective on family and the challenges to create a bond now the time is running out. Know Goes Away wants to transmit the importance of second chances, forgiveness, family love in extreme situations and the awareness on mental health and brain disease.

The reception of Knox Goes Away has been varied, with diverse opinions from critics, some have mention that the movie has a slow pace and it is rare due to the plot of movie is that the main character has a short time to complete his plans because he has a brain disease, but on the other side some have praised Michael Keaton’s direction and performance, despite the different opinions the expectation about the movie seems to be raised due to original topic and the cast of the movie that include Al Pacino, James Marsden and Marcia Gay Harden.

The filming process of Knox Goes Away took place without delay or controversies. The movie was film entirely in Los Angeles, CA, from October to December 2022. Despite the challenges that can occur during a filming of a movie and especially in the case of Knox Goes Away that include a high profile cast, it doesn’t affect the process of the production, successfully completing it and delivering the movie at scheduled. Also Keaton’s as a lead actor and director and the performance of the cast stand out as a key aspect of this cinematic project.

The movie Knox Goes Away has a particular topic that will make the audience get deep in their thoughts and reflect themselves if what will happen in our live if we have to pass trough a diagnose as John Knox, for the audience to think in how is going to be our lives until we are lost in our own minds, delusional and incapable to have a normal life. Knox take the decision to help his son with whom he has never had a relationship as redemption for all the time that he never expend with him trying to recover all the time that he lost and trying to create bonds with him. Is a movie that have action and fight scenes but also has that sense of humanity watching Knox losing control of his thoughts and his life, it is a good movie and with the cast should be delightful to watch.