When a protective father meets a murderous ex-con, both need to deviate from the path they are on as they soon find themselves entangled in a downwards spiral of lies and violence while having to confront their own inner psyche.
The seasoning of black humour and the skills of all three actors combine to make this an entertainingly oddball adaptation of the Joe R Landsale novel.
Mickle and Damici deliver a tense redneck noir with a twist – and a few issues – but it’s more like a promising placeholder than the masterpiece they’re capable of.
A character-driven thriller with more twists than an off-the-map dirt road, awards-quality performances from the three leads, a rare sensitivity to the after-effects of horror and a sure directorial hand. Mickle and Damici officially segue from ‘promising’ to ‘delivering’.
A cool, cruel Southern pulp tale.
Lean and menacing thriller.
It's a film which speaks loudly and directly, but doesn't have much to say.
It's disappointing and unsatisfying here.
Individual sequences are brilliantly staged and shot but the film still has the feel of a formal exercise and the plot abounds in loose ends.
The melodramatic plot doesn’t bear close scrutiny but the three actors are on fine form and this develops into a tasty helping of Southern-fried gothic.
It’s not always plausible, especially towards the climax, but is bold, bracing, unexpected and highly watchable, despite exposing us, via everyman Richard, into a world of putrid violence.
A minor gem.
As for the performances, they're ripe and rich, even though the three core characters sometimes appear to be starring in entirely different movies.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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