Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery contains its share of ruthless mockery of Catholicism but also a refreshingly optimistic view of it. The murder victim of this who-done-it, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, runs his church like a cult and shamelessly confesses his numerous sexual sins to his new assistant pastor, the protagonist Jud. Meanwhile, Jud is a devoted servant of God who genuinely wants to realign the Monsignor’s flock. He begins to doubt his abilities and mission, however, when no one seems interested in his teachings and he finds himself the primary suspect in Jefferson’s murder.
These two views create entertaining contrasting imagery. In one moment, Jud and detective Benoit Blanc are breaking into the dead Monsignor’s office and smashing a tiny Jesus statue with a statue of Jesus’ head in their search to treasure. In the next, Jud is selflessly listening to a woman talking through her unrelated personal problems and doubts. Jud’s brief foray into treasure hunting becomes background noise when he remembers what’s really important to him. While most of the film and its murder centers around the hunt for a lost treasure, in the end, Jud returns the treasure to God’s possession where it belongs.
The balance of mockery and praise of Catholicism is nice… and pretty funny.