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. And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. Elwood is played by Christopher Abbott, whos before undermined the innocent face and soft-spoken demeanor inherent in his recurrence as an ex-boyfriend thats fallen on hard times in Girls, but never like this. Our aged hero must face his relationships of past and present to come up against this unpredictable predator. The movie is dictated by Lila (Imogen Poots) hiring Elwood (Christopher Abbott) to murder her husband, which he ended up killing two more people. overstaying its welcome (especially one the relies not on action but on mood). Given its far-north location, Alaska is known for having extraordinarily long nights at certain times of year, and yet, that isn't the case here. This is a great film and the filmmakers are to be watch carefully as this demonstrates a rising talent to watch. U-Turn. We all act crazy, I guess. There's a confounding simplicity to Sweet Virginia, making its characters the load-bearing creeps of the film. I only new a couple. Best Buy, Fable and DAVIDsTEA, to name a few. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. As with most slow-burn neo-noir movies, Sweet Virginia thrives on atmosphere. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. Elwoods on a short fuse, you see; he drives around town talking to himself, making profane observation about the locals; after one pay phone conversation near a convenience store, Elwood kicks the crap out of some punks who are looking at him funny; with every line reading and twitch of the shoulder you can see Abbott congratulating himself on playing a genuine PSYCHO whos also complex because of his terse one-sided phone conversations with his terminally ill mother down south of Alaska. 24/10/2018. viewer on the edge of his/her seat. Nothing worse than that ott ,,feel this now ,,base obviousness. At the motel the manager was having an affair with one of the victims. Later that day, Tom's wife, Bernadette, goes on the porch during a gathering for her deceased husband and asks Sam if he can come by to no avail. "Sweet Virginia" is an uncommonly dark movie. When Crime goes wrong could be a different title. Learn more. Elwood, who was injured in the struggle with Bernadette, tries sneaking out the next morning but is stopped by Sam who merely wants to say goodbye. Glenn Kenny was the chief film critic of Premiere magazine for almost half of its existence. 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. Drama. The series' excellence and futuristic approach didn't end in its casting and storyline. The man returns and shoots Lou, Mitchell, and Tom. When she confronts Elwood after the killing, she tells him You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off, I mean, he was only supposed to kill the one guy, and he explains to her how killing three guys made total sense because it made the whole thing look so random. a long fuse and, if it comes to a physical confrontation, he is pretty much . room at the motel and befriends Sam, whom he recognizes from his rodeo days. it holds a lot of power over me like its scary. 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. Show All, 94mins Elwood asks Sam if he has a girlfriend, and Sam admits he does. After a phone call with his mother, Elwood becomes enraged and instigates a fight with two men. Daggs direction creates the proper atmosphere, but Benjamin and Paul Chinas script fills it with nocturnal life. Sweet Virginia was a Limited release in 2017 on Friday, November 17, 2017. Sweet Virginia is a 2017 neo-noir thriller film directed by Jamie M. Dagg, written by Benjamin China and Paul China, and starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt, Odessa Young and Jared Abrahamson. Pretty predictable. One too many falls. This is one of those movies concocted by people whove seen too many movies; whose experience of violence and crime derives entirely from movies; whose main motivation is derived from some desire to emulate a mode of cool that they learned from Coen Brothers and Tarantino movies, and which they think theyve made less overtly derivative by leavening with ideas from even older movies. But as directed by Jamie M. Dagg, this story moves in fits and starts, with secondary characters (a noisy hotel guest, the town cop, Sams young coworker, etc.) So much atmosphere. Excuse my spelling. Bernthal is somewhat more relaxed as a one-time tough guy just trying to come into his house justified, but, not to put too fine a point on it, so what. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution. 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Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Are you serious? Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. It's a classic case of a little becoming a lot onscreen on the basis of boasting dark atmosphere, eerie score and superb performances. 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. This movie is not flashy though. Christopher Abbot etabliert sich als beunruhigend-spannender Darsteller. The bartender says, "We're closed." Also, Sweet Virginia is not a character in this Alaska-set movie; rather, it is the name of the motel Sam owns and runs and presumably named for sentimental reason. i too would cheat on my husband with jon bernthal with 0 remorse. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Like any good noir, all comes down to desire and absurd nihilism. Dark and gritty, well shot and perfectly paced with a handful of strong performances and a suitably ominous, understated score. Contact Lori, VFO Locations Manager, with the particulars of your shoot. He walks out of the bar. 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. So maddening! 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? Literally. Usually meek Small town politics. 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. railroad crossing, the gates come down and a train impedes her progress. Bernadette (Rosemarie DeWitt) loses her husband of 18 years in the melee, and turns to local motel manager Sam (Jon Bernthal) for solace. Director Jamie M. Dagg Writers Paul China Benjamin China Stars Jon Bernthal Christopher Abbott Imogen Poots See production, box office & company info Watch on AMC+ with Prime Video Channels More watch options Add to Watchlist 101 User reviews 69 Critic reviews 72 Metascore I doubt I'll remember having watched it in a few years time but it certainly wasn't bad. Ugh. Hyper-portentous neo noir thats sturdily composed and moves at a hypnotically steady pace. I understand - and appreciate - the unnatural darkness that some directors like to use to set the theme. So much to like about Sweet Virginia. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Right from the beginning, I could not hear what these actors were saying. Now shes all kinds of desperate, worse off than before, and willing to jeopardize others safety to save herself including that of a local friend (Rosemarie DeWitt) also left widowed by the shooting with secrets of her own to keep. A slow burn drama, with great cinematography and score. More at In a small-town Alaska, a triple murder is committed one night. The scene where Sam was beat up by the hotel guest was disturbing, I thought he'd lay down the law. Sams special woman, Bernadette (Rosemarie DeWitt) is now a widow, because Elwood (no really) killed her husband and two other guys in the movies opening scene. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. The best music, movies, TV, books, comedy and more. Klassisches Sonntags-Couchkino. Pros: And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. Director: Jamie M. Dagg Writers: Benjamin China, Paul China Starring: Jon Bernthal, Imogen Poots, Christopher Abbott, Rosemarie DeWitt Release Date: Premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. Sweet Virginia is a 2017 neo-noir thriller film directed by Jamie M. Dagg, written by Benjamin China and Paul China, and starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt, Odessa Young and Jared Abrahamson. The film doesn't have much of a point, as its characters are reductive variables in an inevitable equation of carnage. Ditto the secondary plot points, such as Sams history as a former rodeo rider. Take it away Elwood (no really): I dont talk about it much, but I guess there is. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Hes a damaged-goods drifter catering to other drifters, running in place from some heartbreak he cant quite forget. Drama, Mystery/Crime, Suspense Feature Film. Mitchell's killer later approaches Sam at the motel and introduces himself as Elwood. so underdeveloped they might as well not be there at all. Red Rock West. 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. 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. An early version of this moody, atmospheric neo-noir thriller was located in the Appalachian Mountains; however, when director Jamie M. Dagg came on board, he moved the setting far to the north. Vfo Locations manager, with great cinematography and score ( no really ): I dont talk about it,. As this demonstrates a rising talent to watch Sam, whom he recognizes from his rodeo days not there! 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