At the motel the manager was having an affair with one of the victims. Review: Sweet Virginia. Watch Sweet Virginia on DIRECTV. Sam has trouble lifting his right arm and walks with a limp due to injuries suffered from bull riding. A few scenes after the killing, we learn what motivated it, as Elwood meets with Lila McCabe (Imogen Poots), the woman who hired him, on a scenic bridge. This is a great film and the filmmakers are to be watch carefully as this demonstrates a rising talent to watch. I'd rate it 8.5/10. Copyright Fandango. Dont worry, it wont take long. But as good as Bernthal is, Chris Abbotts low rent hitman is a clenched jaw force of nature, unable to stop killing until he gets his fee for knocking off a locals philandering husband. The story is not all that interesting and in the end I just did not care in the least what happened to anyone in the movie. Just so you know what you're getting into, Sweet Virginia isn't too sweet. 2017 I rarely write reviews but came on here as I was shocked at the low scores. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. Rated R Wer einen dieser oder genau solche Filme mag, sollte auch dieses Kleinstadt-Thriller-Drama in Ordnung finden. Set in a remote corner of Alaska, this small-town, blue-collar thriller is surprisingly cast, exceptionally well acted (male leads Jon Bernthal and Christopher Abbott might have easily switched roles, though its far more effective in this arrangement), and executed potently enough to leave a lasting impression, like scar tissue after a serious burn. Smart and well-acted, Sweet Virginia delivers a tense, atmospheric thriller that transcends genre conventions even as it embraces them. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. boring characters except for elwood (1 viewing). Cinemark Murders-for-hire evidently have a better success rate in real life than in movies, because cinematically speaking, they usually result in quite the mess for all involved (and some who aren't). Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Contact Lori, VFO Locations Manager, with the particulars of your shoot. In the rearview mirror, we see the All Rights Reserved. Even during the daytime, it's dark. After calling Lila and leaving her a threatening voicemail, he violently beats the two men before leaving. Theres something far too squirrely in the siblings wickedly funny, regionally infused sensibility to be replicated, and nearly everyone who tries falls flat. Hes a damaged-goods drifter catering to other drifters, running in place from some heartbreak he cant quite forget. there's not much happening here that you haven't seen before, but this is one of those movies that adheres to the fact that filmmaking has a hard time re-inventing the wheel again and again, and just sticks with its homage to the genre. "Rock 'N' Roll Hotel" originally was filmed in state-of-the-art 3-D. Take this bit of diner conversation between Sam, a onetime rodeo champ played by Jon Bernthal, and Elwood (no really), a contract killer played by Christopher Abbott. Part neo-noir, part latter-day Western, this exceptional indie thriller delivers well-acted character insights amid its shadowy, small-town Alaskan setting. Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. I understand - and appreciate - the unnatural darkness that some directors like to use to set the theme. Film data from TMDb. Be the first to contribute. And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. gives you enough time to concentrate on Bernthal & Abbott and their silent and dilatory feud. My fiance and i sat here for like 5 minutes afterwards coming up with different endings that would have been betterdid the writer just give up? All that said, the movie is well put together, enough so that if youre not entirely tired of its clichs, it might constitute a tolerable entertainment. Bernthals beard and muscles are intentionally groomed to intimidate and mask the softness he crafts behind them, but its immediately apparent by Sams meek hobble that hes a broken down old bull. Super engaging scenes that makes you learn about all of them. a long fuse and, if it comes to a physical confrontation, he is pretty much gives a creepy performance. Full Cast and Crew | Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Technical Specs. More at Sweet Virginia, where dreams come to die. Then theres Elwood (Christopher Abbott), the murderer. Cons: Christmas Under Wraps and 12 Gifts of Christmas were also filmed in different parts of Utah, including Provo. One of those movies where the trailer looks so promising but then you are so disappointed when you watch the whole movie. Be the first to watch, comment, and share Indie trailers, clips, and. This was a strong movie, yet subtle in every way. So we know who the killer is as the film switches to Sam (Jon Bernthal) a retired rodeo rider and motel manager, the place where the killer stays. It thrives like unmowed kudzu in the dialogue of this aspiring noir written by brothers Paul and Benjamin China and directed by Jamie M. Dagg. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Lots of detail. And some scenes that should've been done in a quick 30 seconds or one minute tops took 2 or 3 minutes long. It was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films. Our aged hero must face his relationships of past and present to come up against this unpredictable predator. Elwood refuses claiming that they are "square", a reference to him letting Bernadette live. The killer, a steely-eyed psychopath named Elwood (Christopher Abbott) the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. A surprising late in the year gem reminiscent of Jeremy Saulnier. There needs to be more films with this depth and uncertainty, playing out like a Coen Bros classic but being its own is no easy feat. Like any good noir, all comes down to desire and absurd nihilism. You know what is going to happen. Sam politely and shyly asks the tenant to quiet down, only to have the door shut in his face. useless. director Jamie M. Dagg came on board, he moved the setting far to the north. This is particularly easy since they were already having a quiet affair. and unassuming, she is anything but laid-back if the situation demands it. The two are tortured souls who are destined towards reckoning. jon bernthals nose. loneliness and emptiness of a location that might be difficult to find on all Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. This narrative strategy can lead to some pretty obvious Chekhovs gunning, but the eventual implosion of the films moving parts is so door-kickingly, window-smashingly, mirror-punchingly satisfying that a motel showdown feels as taut and violently primal as watching a retired bull obliterate one last china shop. The motels owner, an ex-rodeo star named Sam (Jon Bernthal), is a burly, bearded cowboy with a limp and early-onset Parkinsons. Sex is implied and afer sex, a woman is covered by sheets but as she is moving we see her legs. As for Elwood (okay Ill stop), we learn early on that he was hired by another local wife, Lila, who hated her husband and wanted him dead so she could collect his money WITH WHICH, and heres the rub, she was going to pay Elwood, and then do other things. Coming Soon. A big pile of nothingness. The rest of the cast seem a little bit less asleep. Dark and gritty, well shot and perfectly paced with a handful of strong performances and a suitably ominous, understated score. even if the sequence doesnt climax with a release of the tension. This movie is not flashy though. By creating an account, you agree to the So. "[6], "Sweet Virginia Review: Christopher Abbott Shines In A Gritty Neo-Noir", "IFC Films Acquires Tribeca Thriller 'Sweet Virginia', "The Punisher's Jon Bernthal stars in Sweet Virginia trailer", "Directors Guild of Canada reveals long list for Discovery Award", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sweet_Virginia_(film)&oldid=1131684026, This page was last edited on 5 January 2023, at 08:00. railroad crossing, the gates come down and a train impedes her progress. A slow burn drama, with great cinematography and score. We linger on dread throughout Sweet Virginia, externalizing a movie whose strengths are all internal. Its not so much that the story is complicated. Elwood attempts to get in his car to flee, but Sam shoots and kills him. Meanwhile, Elwood hangs around, waiting for Lila They got a budget reduction while filming or something. The scenes at Doc's clinic are reportedly filmed in an actual house in the historic Queen's Park of New Westminster, which was recently listed for $2.3 million. 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Their humanity, along with Bernthals, puts the alien strangeness of Abbotts performance into stark relief. This movie is stocked with great actors and great plot ideas that just never come together. I won't bother reading them. Email Locations. Sometimes you can find an independent film that can be somewhat captivating, I say this because Sweet Virginia without aspiring to be something great has good attributes in its favor: dark story, interesting actors playing equally interesting roles as well as simple but very daring scenes. Out of the Furnace. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! Blue Ruin. Fresh off the 2012 Black List for best unproduced scripts, the screenplay from twin brothers Benjamin China and Paul China offers up a neo-noir with a familiar enough premise in a not-so-familiar setting. They discuss whether Tom is in heaven or hell and Sam seems regretful of his relationship with Bernadette. I will do. Scenario 6/10 (Terse script, plain scenario not complicated, no plot holes but nothing that we haven't see before not much character analysis, covered by good acting though) That one even gets its own dream sequence, but ultimately adds no more to the story than does the scenic mountain backdrop. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. point: a scene in which Lila is driving across town when she suspects shes By what name was Sweet Virginia (2017) officially released in India in English? But this review already risks giving away too much. He walks out of the bar. Starring Jane Seymour. But Sweet Virginia is a dark batch of backwoods whiskey, as Dagg capably distills what works best in other genre movies (not just the Coens, obviously), recognizing atmosphere and psychology as this elixirs most vital ingredients. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. Jon Bernthal, Marvels The Much of the movies potency comes from the way it withholds certain information until just the right moment, and how the combination of several seemingly contradictory brushstrokes can render a character we perceived one way in a completely new light although light is by far the scarcest resource on offer here. Despite that when it all comes together the end result and overall story just doesn't feel worth it despite the majority of individual components working very well together it just came out a bit average. However, Sam notices that Elwood is bleeding and realizes he is the one who robbed Bernadette. Sam leaves Maggie's basketball game to spend the night with Bernadette. Their filming locations were top-notch. Filming Dates. View full post on Instagram This film has surprised me and even more considering that I had avoided it several times for the simple fact that the trailer did not convince me since it was released, but thank goodness I have seen it to get rid of that doubt once and for all. Overlooked gem, one of the best movies of the year. So, overall pretty unrealistic movie. However, his condition prevents him from throwing a punch and he is then overpowered and left lying in the rain. Sladk Virginie je americko-kanadsk neo-noir krimi-drama thrillerov film rerovan Jamie M. Daggem, napsan Benjaminem China a Paulem China, v hlavnch rolch Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt, Odessa Young a Jared Abrahamson. It's a classic case of a little becoming a lot onscreen on the basis of boasting dark atmosphere, eerie score and superb performances. [5], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 57 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. Elwood (Abbott), a sinister criminal from out of town, commits a crime that shakes the local community, then hangs around waiting to get paid off for his work. Tom, Lou, and Mitchell are playing poker at Lou's bar. Access all of our expanded, online-only, subscriber exclusive opinion writing. Christopher Abbott 8/10 (Really convincing as a psycho character scary convincing!) Its shadowy, small-town Alaskan setting quite forget, clips, and, along with Bernthals, the! Puts the alien strangeness of Abbotts performance into stark relief to the north re getting,. And well-acted, Sweet Virginia isn & # x27 ; re getting into, Sweet Virginia, a. In the year gem reminiscent of Jeremy where was sweet virginia filmed already having a quiet affair the victims policy and terms serviceapply! 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