Queen of Knives (2024) Film Review
Deep in the heart of Jon Delgado‘s romantic comedy, Queen of Knives, there’s something essential that we usually take for granted in films of the rom-com genre. Considered a lesser universe of films because of their usually incoherent scripts, romantic comedies are designed to appeal but not to make you think. But in this indie rom-com by Delgado, there’s heart, and that’s a plot element that doesn’t always come with writing a good script. It comes from a good blend of characters and genre balance, which makes Queen of Knives a fine enough experience.
Queen of Knives takes viewers to sunny, modern Brooklyn, New York. There, the Benetto family is severely divided. Frank is a lonely man going through a rough separation from Kathy, his wife, who has fallen in love with another woman. Their daughters, Kaitlin and Sadie, each have their own issues, but it all revolves around relationships. Love is weird and honest in Queen of Knives, but fortunately, it doesn’t appear to be shameful.
That is, until Frank meets someone. When he meets Autumn, a much younger woman with non-traditional views, Frank loses himself in what feels like a tailor-made relationship. She’s funny, quirky, and, best of all, she understands him. However, when it’s time for the family to gather again, personalities will collide in a funny and endearing third act that will teach you a lesson or two.
The film isn’t as thought-provoking as it could be if it had followed a more serious tone. Instead, it’s a light comedy that doesn’t aim at changing the world and will just provide enough drama to disconnect you from your somber reality for a few minutes. It works in the same tone as other indie comedies do, with a noteworthy dependence on setting, good performances, and a message that feels much more heartwarming than I had thought at first.
It’s no problem if you don’t connect with Queen of Knives‘ more schlocky style of humor. It’s a film that makes good use of its catalog of characters, but it won’t click with some viewers as it sometimes distracts itself from its central character. Frank is interesting enough, but those who surround him are strong enough as figures that he seems to be a sum of them, a man deeply affected by the isolation caused by a world that runs faster than him.
The best thing about it? It doesn’t feel manipulative. It’s lighthearted, but it doesn’t force its plot to end in the specific direction of “everyone ends up a happy person.” Instead, its conclusion plays like a slightly shocking change of plans where Frank finds himself and no one else. After such an unfair reception by what’s left of his family leaves him estranged, you would think that the film’s consistency would depend on the sugarcoated ending. But the good thing about indie comedy Queen of Knives, is that above all the fancy camera work, there’s true honesty driven by a script that will make for a solid watch.
