Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He had to change his name since Michael Douglas, the son of Kirk Douglas, already had it.
I first noticed Keaton for his portrayal of Beetlejuice in the 1988 film of the same name. Beetlejuice is a charismatic, cynical and womanizing ghost. He also gets a little crazy at times due to his dramatic antics. Keaton is wonderful in the role.
In 2023, Keaton starred in, directed and co-produced the American crime thriller film, Knox Goes Away. It follows a contract killer (Keaton as John Knox) with a rapidly evolving form of dementia who vows to spend his final days attempting to find redemption by saving the life of his estranged adult son, portrayed by James Marsden.
Knox's friend, Xavier, a professional thief, is portrayed by the great Academy Award winner Al Pacino.
John Knox works a day job as a contract killer. He is estranged from his wife and son, and lives alone, interacting only with other members of his industry and a sex worker who visits him once a week, and who shares his love for books.
Knox is diagnosed with an aggressive form of dementia called Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, and quickly makes arrangements to retire from the business. Before he retires, however, he undertakes one last job with his partner.
During the job, after successfully killing his target, Knox accidentally kills his partner in his dementia-fueled confusion. He quickly stages the scene and leaves.
That night, he is unexpectedly visited by his estranged son Miles, who tearfully admits to killing a man for raping his daughter, Knox's granddaughter. Knox instructs his son to remain quiet regarding the authorities as he goes to the crime scene and meticulously removes evidence that may incriminate Miles, while mysteriously storing them for later use.
Knox visits his friend Xavier. Together, they devise a plan to set up Knox's family for life while leaving the business behind, all while Knox battles his fading mental state.
Knox plants the evidence that he had previously stored away around his son Miles's home, seemingly betraying him. Miles is arrested for the murder of his daughter's rapist, and is confronted by Knox in prison, where Knox accuses Miles of turning him in.
After getting lost in the woods after digging up his stash of diamonds at a cabin that his family used to own, Knox is picked up by Xavier and driven home. On arriving, he is confronted by a group of burglars and the sex worker, who had become aware of Knox's dementia and the fact that he had been cashing out and had ratted him out as a result. Knox kills all the burglars, but spars the sex worker.
Knox calls Xavier to ask him to inform the police of part of their plan, after which he is arrested. The police soon discover signs that the evidence found at Miles Knox's house may have been tampered with and planted by Knox, leading to the conclusion that Knox might have framed his son for the murder. Miles is released.
Several weeks later, Miles visits his father in prison. Knox, having now fully lost his mental faculties, does not recognize his son and is soon moved from prison to a medical facility with only weeks to live.
Miles and his mother receive equal shares of Knox's fortune, ensuring the completion of his retirement plan. The sex worker, who he spared, receives Knox's library, opens the cover of A Tale of Two Cities, which is my favorite book written by my favorite author, Charles Dickens ("It was the best of times; it was the worst of times").
