The Knife

All Chris (Nnamdi Asomugha) wants is to carve a promising future for his beloved wife Alex (Aja Naomi King) and their two girls; a young family chasing the American Dream. One fateful night, Chris’ entire world is shaken to its core as a stranger mysteriously shows up in their humble abode. Distressed by the events of the night and the revelations seemingly at every turn, the family must also contend with the steadfast Detective Carlsen (Melissa Leo) who’s eager to solve the mystery of their intrusion.

This stunning directorial debut by Nnamdi Asomugha pulls into focus the fraught relationship between choice and consequence, all tense escalation handled with the care and grace of a staunch veteran. As decisions big and small weigh heavy on the heads of our characters, the film’s exercise in unpacking ethical and moral quandaries ever-present during everyday life will leave an unfathomable mark on those within the frame as well as the eyes who lay upon them.––Casey Baron