Estate Movie Recommendation – Knives Out
For our April newsletter, I asked Kimberly (my paralegal and trusted colleague) if I should write a factual estate planning piece, or if I should instead recommend the movie “Knives Out”. Kimberly looked at me and raised her eyebrows.
I would like to recommend “Knives Out” to you, my clients, friends, and trusted referral sources.
“Knives Out”, the newest recommendation in my series, is a deeply entertaining example of how estates, wills, and trusts can provide a terrific narrative tool to propel characters to behave at their very best, and at their worst. In this respect, the movie is not so unlike real life.
“Knives Out” is a classic detective mystery movie centered on the death of the patriarch of a large and dysfunctional family. Our decedent, Harlan Thrombey, was in life an extremely successful and wealthy mystery novelist. His home (the setting for most of the action) is an elaborate murder mystery-inspired manor, complete with a trick window and creative, weapon-inspired artifacts. Although Mr. Thrombey’s death initially appears to be a suicide, the movie soon introduces Benoit Blanc, a prodigy detective hired to investigate the circumstances of Mr. Thrombey’s passing. It becomes apparent that all of Mr. Thrombey’s family members either directly or indirectly made their living from Mr. Thrombey’s own mystery novel empire. Each of them possessed a complicated relationship with the deceased, and with his money and estate.
Part way through the movie, the lawyers convene all family members for the theatrically required (and legally irrelevant) Will Reading. This is my favorite scene of the movie. The attorney prefaces his reading by acknowledging that the Will Reading “isn’t legally necessary.” Yet, presumably, the Thombey estate has chosen to pay this attorney, at his billable hourly rate ($500/hour?), to read the Will aloud simply for the drama. Perfection.
During this scene, the audience learns of a surprise significant bequest. This bequest sets in motion not only the rest of the movie, but also the future lives of every person related to the late Mr. Thrombey.
“Knives Out” is rated PG-13 for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material. Consider yourself warned: there are scenes which can be startling, gross, or triggering. This is particularly true if you do not care for spiders, needles, or suicide. Or, truly, vomit.
Even with that in mind, Kimberly and I both love “Knives Out” because it is a truly great ensemble movie: tightly written, well-acted, and lavish in scenery. I know we both feel lucky that we have not noticed a similarity between the family of “Knives Out” and our own clients.
However, the characters in “Knives Out” demonstrate the absolute truth of how estate planning—and the actual administration that occurs after the testator’s death—can influence those around you:
- Heirs and beneficiaries will make up their own narrative about why the testator made their decisions, if those reasons are never explained.
- Long-term reliance on another person’s assets can bring inspiration, financial safety, assistance at crucial moments, and occasionally, entitlement.
- How you shape your estate plan can create a long-lasting legacy, and that legacy can alter the lives of those you love most.
But at all times, remember this: Will Readings only happen in the movies. No one wants to pay a lawyer, at their full billable hourly rate, to read a Will aloud. Or, at least not in Minnesota.
