One line from Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is subtly important for showcasing the irony of the film’s twist and the characters’ motivations. The Knives Out sequel launched on Netflix over the holidays, a month after a brief stint in theaters for Oscar consideration. It was a smash hit, skyrocketing to being the most-watched property on Netflix currently – no surprise given the success of the first film and the utterly stacked cast. It brought together Daniel Craig as the delightfully, charming and entertaining detective extraordinaire, Benoit Blanc, as he must unfold a new murder mystery – this time on the beautiful shores of the Aegean Sea.
From its opening to Glass Onion‘s ending, the movie is chock-full of unexpectedly pertinent social commentary as engaging performances – particularly that of Janelle Monáe – bring to life Johnson’s clever writing, clinching a high ranking among the best films of 2022. Particularly, one line encapsulates a central theme of the film early on, as Benoit learns of the group’s history and relationships. Kate Hudson’s Birdie Jay says, “I’m a truth-teller, some people can’t handle that.” Blanc responds, “It’s a dangerous thing to mistake speaking without thought for speaking the truth.” Altogether, they demonstrate the characters’ divergent worldviews and cleverly highlight the irony of Glass Onion’s big plot twist.
Glass Onion’s Hidden Birdie Irony Explained
Birdie Jay is a problematic figure, yet still one of the best characters in Glass Onion for her strangely endearing delusion. As the former model turned carelessly insensitive fashionista states, she considers herself a “truth-teller” even if it rubs people the wrong way. The Glass Onion character believes so wholeheartedly in what she says that, regardless of facts, it’s the truth. The one glaring exception comes from the twist that she and her fellow “disrupters” perjured themselves to protect Miles. Birdie Jay – the self-proclaimed “truth-teller” – actually lied on the stand and stated that Miles first thought up his and Andi’s business.
In truth, Birdie and those who are similarly self-absorbed simply approach otherwise concrete concepts like truth and honesty through the perspective of their own self-interest. They will say whatever best suits them in any situation. That’s even demonstrated at the movie’s ending when they turn on Glass Onion villain Miles Bron. They only did that after Miles was exposed, seeing that any further connection to him would be a hindrance, rather than a boon. Birdie, in particular, outshines the rest in egocentrism and misperception of the truth. While she might be out from under Miles’ “golden teat“, Birdie will likely remain just as delusional and problematic going forward.
What Glass Onion’s Brilliant “Truth” Quote Really Means
Benoit Blanc’s response to Birdie is equally ripe for interpretation. Plainly, he tells her that speaking a personal truth is not the same as speaking facts. It is a dangerous thing to contextualize an individual belief, no matter how strong the conviction in it, as truth without quantifiable evidence to support it and a regard for divergent opinions and sentiments. While Glass Onion did leave some unanswered questions, it certainly proved how wrong Birdie was in her statement. She doesn’t care about the truth, but rather speaking her mind and having a good time.
The line was a perfect tease to the characters audiences would get to know over the rest of the film. It’s brilliant for its opportune pertinence nowadays and simplicity in relaying an important theme without shoving it down the audiences’ throats. It just goes to show how Johnson’s talents are well-suited for these types of projects. Thankfully, there are plans for what comes after Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery as Netflix had also bought the rights to a third film. It’s intriguing to think what nugget of wisdom Benoit Blanc will drop when he’s back on the case in Knives Out 3.
