Knox Goes Away

Directed by Michael Keaton, Knox Goes Away follow professional assassin John Knox (Keaton) as he attempts to repair his personal life after a terminal diagnosis of advanced dementia. It’s compelling subject matter that’s employed to erratic yet mostly watchable effect by Keaton, as the filmmaker, working from Gregory Poirier’s screenplay, delivers a deliberately-paced endeavor that benefits from its predictably top-notch performances – with Keaton’s engaging, engrossing work here certainly matched by such first-class periphery players as James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden, and Al Pacino. And although Keaton does kick the proceedings off with a tremendously compelling opening stretch, with this certainly reflected in the riveting scene wherein Knox gets his diagnosis (and his subsequent attempt to go on a routine job with his loyal partner), Knox Goes Away segues into a meandering, padded-out midsection that ultimately does feel like it’s in desperate need of some serious streamlining. Such concerns are rendered relatively moot as the movie progresses into its entertaining and surprising final stretch, which, when coupled with a memorably downbeat finale, does confirm Knox Goes Away’s place as a decent-enough endeavor that feels like it should be much better.

**1/2 out of ****