Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Black Doves.
Keira Knightley is one of the most beloved and recognizable faces in acting. With her career starting in 1999 in The Phantom Menace and rising to prominence in Bend it Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean, her performances have only gotten better with time in projects like The Imitation Game. However, the recent series Black Doves is among her best, due to the maturity on show, as well as the sincerity with which it is portrayed. Compared to some of her most famous performances, Knightley's character, Helen Webb, is completely respected when it comes to dealing with her enemies. She not only strikes fear, but also has a charm that is so engaging that we still love her the more terrifying she becomes.
Keira Knightley Balances Mother and Murderer in This 'Black Doves' Scene
Image via Netflix
In no scene is Knightley's fantastic performance clearer than when Helen is confronted by, and later kills, the assassin Elmore Fitch (Paapa Essiedu) in her own home. Up until this point in the episode, "A Little Black Dove," it has been Helen who has been hunting Fitch with the help of triggerman Sam (Ben Whishaw) after they discover Fitch had assassinated Helen's lover, Jason (Andrew Koji), in a dark and mysterious cover-up. However, after the trail goes cold, Fitch turns up at Helen's house, describing her as a loose end, yet it is Helen who gets to deliver the true final blow, as she takes Fitch's gun, interrogates him, and murders him in her shed. It's a brilliantly paced and choreographed scene on its own, but Knightley is truly remarkable throughout it.
Knightley’s performance in this Black Doves scene shows a fantastic amount of nuance; it truly is shocking to witness how quickly she can flip from what Fitch sees as a helpless woman to a skilled spy. When she both disarms Fitch and stabs him through the hand, she maintains both the nature of a protective mother, making it clear he is going to die for threatening her family, and a ruthless killer seeking revenge. Helen's lines mentioning different kitchen appliances she could use to torture him are terrifyingly funny. Despite the comedy, you never once feel comfortable enough to laugh out loud, scared that she might hear you and take it as a sign of disrespect.
Knightley's performance in this scene also carries a high degree of maturity, as we don’t celebrate her killing Fitch. Even though she gets her revenge, it is clear that Helen feels no satisfaction, balancing the consequences of this action as well as the rest of the complex web she finds herself in. This is only further shown when she follows Fitch's wishes, killing him quickly rather than taking her time as one suspects she had planned to once she caught Jason's killer. It displays a growing understanding, as Helen learns just how deep this conspiracy truly runs, and that she is nowhere closer to catching those truly responsible for Jason's death.
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No One Undermines Keira Knightley in 'Black Doves'
What ultimately makes Knightley’s performance so good in this scene is the fact she is allowed to take control of it with a remarkable degree of sincerity, which is lacking when we look back on some of her other great performances. You never doubt her control over the situation when Fitch enters the home, or when Knightley’s Helen has him at gunpoint. In Pirates of the Caribbean, she is constantly undermined by the male characters, which, while effective in a comedy where everyone is silly, gives her dramatic performance less weight. When we look at Black Doves, there is no one to undermine or question her. Sam, Mrs. Reed (Sarah Lancashire), and other assassins like Fitch are made to treat Helen with the respect she earns, and that means the audience does so too.
Black Doves is, quite simply, a stunning show that uses all of its actors to the best of its ability. Yet, it is certainly Keira Knightley who remains the standout, and it is the scene of Helen killing Elmore Fitch that proves it. Her balance of the way others perceive her versus what she is to herself is fascinating to watch. Not only do others believe her ferocity, but we do too, and it makes Black Doves a brilliant watch whenever Knightley is on-screen.
Black Doves is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
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Black Doves
Black Doves is a drama series that centers on the complex interplay of espionage and personal relationships. Focused on Helen Webb, a seasoned spy striving to balance her covert missions with a turbulent family life, the series delves into themes of loyalty, betrayal, and sacrifice. Starring Keira Knightley, it examines the moral ambiguities faced by those who live double lives in service to their countries.
Release Date December 5, 2024
Producers Jane Featherstone , Chris Fry , Joe Barton
Image via Netflix
Image via Netflix 
English (US) ·