It's a Wonderful Knife
A Christmas slasher spin on It's a Wonderful Life.
It's a Wonderful Knife is a 2023 American film that blends Christmas fantasy, slasher horror, and comedy. Directed by Tyler MacIntyre with a script by Michael Kennedy, the movie features Jane Widdop, Jess McLeod, Joel McHale, Katharine Isabelle, William B. Davis, and Justin Long. It reimagines the 1946 classic *It's a Wonderful Life*, but instead of the protagonist realizing his good deeds, the teenage heroine Winnie comes to understand how many deaths she has prevented in her community. RLJE Films released the movie in theaters on November 10, 2023, and it began streaming on Shudder on December 1, 2023. Critical reception was mixed.
The story takes place in the town of Angel Falls. Teenager Winnie Carruthers is celebrating Christmas with her family when her father David is called away by his business partner, Henry Waters, CEO of Waters Industry. Henry tries to persuade longtime resident Roger Evans to sell his house for a shopping mall, but Roger refuses, planning to pass it to his granddaughter Cara, Winnie's best friend. Later, a masked killer called "the Angel" murders Roger at home. That night, the Angel kills Cara and nearly kills Winnie's brother Jimmy, but Winnie electrocutes the attacker. Unmasking the Angel, she discovers it is Henry.
A year later, David has become CEO of Waters Industry. Winnie still grieves Cara, while her family has moved on. At a Christmas party at her boyfriend Robbie's house, she befriends a social outcast named Bernie, then learns Robbie has been cheating on her with her friend Darla for a year. Distraught, Winnie goes to a bridge and, looking at the aurora lights, wishes she had never been born. The aurora vanishes, the town's power flickers, and the Angel briefly chases her. She finds the sheriff is now Henry's younger brother Buck, who doesn't recognize her. Henry, now mayor, greets her. Her family also doesn't know her, and she realizes she is in an alternate reality where she never existed. In this timeline, the Angel is still active and has killed more people, including Jimmy.
Upset, Winnie finds Bernie at Robbie's party and explains her situation. After narrowly escaping the Angel, they deduce the killer targets teenage children of homeowners whose property Henry wanted. Winnie decides she needs her father's help to stop Henry and kill him again, and convinces her aunt Gale of her story.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Tyler MacIntyre
- Writer
- Michael Kennedy
- Producer
- Seth Caplan / Michael Kennedy / Daniel Bekerman
- Starring
- Jane Widdop / Jess McLeod / Joel McHale / Katharine Isabelle / William B. Davis / Justin Long
- Cinematography
- Nicholas Piatnik
- Editing
- Arndt-Wulf Peemöller
- Music
- Russ Howard III
- Production Companies
- Divide/Conquer
- Distributor
- RLJE Films / Shudder
- Released
- 8 October 2023 · Beyond Fest · 2023 · 11 · 10 · United States
- Runtime
- 87 minutes
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film is set in the town of Angel Falls, where teenager Winnie Carruthers, one year after killing a masked assailant known as 'the Angel' (who turned out to be her father's business partner Henry Waters), wishes she had never been born. This transports her to an alternate reality where she never existed, and the Angel is still alive and has killed more people, including her brother Jimmy. Winnie teams up with a social outcast named Bernie to stop the killer, eventually discovering that in this reality her father David is the Angel, acting under Henry's control. After killing David and then Henry, Winnie returns to her original timeline and reconciles with her family. The film was produced by Divide/Conquer and Seth Caplan in association with Fourth Culture Films. Principal photography took place in Vancouver from March 20 to April 14, 2023. Writer Michael Kennedy praised Jane Widdop's performance in Yellowjackets and noted that Justin Long channeled a 'boomer smarminess' for his role as the town mayor.
Reader's Guide
It's a Wonderful Knife received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, 55% of 80 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.6/10, and the consensus reads: 'It's a Wonderful Knife takes an enthusiastic stab at holiday-themed horror-comedy, even if it doesn't cut quite as deep as it should.' Metacritic assigned a score of 52 out of 100, indicating 'mixed or average' reviews. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it two and a half out of four, noting it is 'filled with blood-spattered twists on holiday movie tropes' but suffers from 'subpar lighting and occasionally clunky editing.' J. Kim Murphy of Variety wrote that the film is 'defined by an overruling superfluousness.' Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting scored it three out of five, praising its 'sweet gooey emotional center.' Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com gave three and a half out of four, calling it a film with 'charm, blood, and angst.' The film was nominated for Outstanding Film at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards and won Best Film To Watch With A Crowd and the After Dark Spirit Award at the 2023 Toronto After Dark Film Festival.
Did You Know?
- The film is a spin on the 1946 Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life, but instead of recognizing his good deeds, the character Winnie discovers how many deaths she has prevented.
- The film grossed $811,307 in the United States and $825,460 worldwide.
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