So, let's answer the question. Even during the daytime, it's dark. Upon visiting Mitchell's lawyer, Lila learns that Mitchell was bankrupt, had lied about his life-insurance policies, and was being sued by former business partners. Ultimately, its this strange alchemy the way that a terse script can leave so much unsaid, combined with such a talented ensembles ability to suggest all the details left either in silence or in darkness that makes Sweet Virginia such a haunting character study. a long fuse and, if it comes to a physical confrontation, he is pretty much Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. 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. Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 2017 limited Release Date (Streaming): Nov 17, 2017 Box Office (Gross USA): $8.4K Runtime: 1h 35m Distributor: IFC Films Cast & Crew Jon Bernthal Sam Rossi. Just so you know what you're getting into, Sweet Virginia isn't too sweet. EXCLUSIVE: Jon Bernthal (Daredevil), Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt and Odessa Young have signed on for director Jamie Dagg's upcoming thriller Sweet Virginia, which was a Sam has trouble lifting his right arm and walks with a limp due to injuries suffered from bull riding. Usually meek Jon Bernthal Christopher Abbott Imogen Poots Rosemarie DeWitt Odessa Young Jonathan Tucker Joseph Lyle Taylor Garry Chalk Jared Abrahamson Gabrielle Rose Mike Dopud Darcy Laurie Scott A. McGillivray Thers Amee Victoria Bidewell Kathryn Kirkpatrick Shawn Orr Cameron Hilts Rick Pearce Linda Jones, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones Aram Tertzakian Nate Bolotin Chris Ferguson Giuliana Bertuzzi Rian Cahill Fernando Loureiro Roberto Vasconcellos Jesse Savath, Automatik Entertainment XYZ Films Oddfellows Entertainment Exhibit Entertainment, Thrillers and murder mysteries Crime, drugs and gangsters Westerns Super engaging scenes that makes you learn about all of them. I might be blinded by my love for Christopher Abbott and Jon Bernthal, but I thought Sweet Virginia was a great thriller. 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. But in this film, the consequences are very negative. Imogen Poots is solid but underused. I doubt I'll remember having watched it in a few years time but it certainly wasn't bad. But screenwriter Russell Dvonch says "there was only one sequence where the 3-D effect really worked, a scene with a lot of. From James White to Katie Says Goodbye, the Greenwich, CT native seems exclusively drawn to characters who could punch a wall at any moment you cant take your eyes off the guy, but its hard to shake the feeling that he picks his roles by imagining what might happen if Marlon Brandos Stanley Kowalski walked off the screen and started wandering through the modern indie landscape. Smart and well-acted, Sweet Virginia delivers a tense, atmospheric thriller that transcends genre conventions even as it embraces them. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Features Sad Bo-Katan, a Bad Baby, and a Pirate Problem, The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of March 2023. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. Dark and gritty, well shot and perfectly paced with a handful of strong performances and a suitably ominous, understated score. ', Chris Pine Says Star Trek Film Franchise Feels Like Its Cursed, Calls It Frustrating Being Kept Out of the Loop on Star Trek 4, HBO's Leading Man: Casey Bloys on Perfecting 'The Last of Us,' HBO Max Streaming Merger and Axing Shows, A24 Sweeps Film Categories at the 2023 SAG Awards as 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Breaks Record for Most Wins, Jean Smart 'Doing Well, Recovering' Following Heart Procedure, Says Hacks Co-Star Hannah Einbinder, Ke Huy Quan Becomes First Asian Male Film Winner at SAG Awards for 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'. This was a strong movie, yet subtle in every way. Letterboxd Limited. Sweet Virginia (2017) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Jamie M. Dagg Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) Produced by Music by Brooke Blair Will Blair Cinematography by Jessica Lee Gagn Film Editing by Duff Smith Casting By Production Design by Danny Vermette Art Direction by Justin Ludwig Sweet Virginia is an uncommonly dark movie. Sweet Virginia is That one even gets its own dream sequence, but ultimately adds no more to the story than does the scenic mountain backdrop. A former rodeo star, now a motel manager, meets a young man who is responsible for the violence that suddenly has seized his small town. murder. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. An early version of this moody, atmospheric Bernthal is one of those character actors that deserves these central roles, he tends to be relegated to supporting roles which is okay but not great. This movie is stocked with great actors and great plot ideas that just never come together. And since most folks reside in giant metropolises, it becomes difficult to pronounce judgement on this evaporating way of life. The other grieving widow of note is Lila (Imogen Poots), who is astonished and more than a little angry to discover that her husband left her nothing but debts. The killer, a steely-eyed psychopath named Elwood (Christopher Abbott) 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. Dagg understands the importance of a thriller not Cinemark It isnt. 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. Despite his reputation as a man of action, Literally: Nighttime seems endless in this film, either shot at twilight or during the witching hour, the perfect environment for Elwood, a hitman with the single-minded intensity of a Travis Bickle or an Anton Chigurh, who sits in his room at a sprawling motel like a dormant volcano (and the viewers are the only geologists in town). 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. "Rock 'N' Roll Hotel" originally was filmed in state-of-the-art 3-D. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. You gotta love these super genius hit men. It starts with a bang, ends with a bang, and those scenes bookend some solid And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. Jon Bernthal, Marvels The Its strength is in its restraint. Read Less. The professional hit-man responsible has been hired by a local woman to wipe out her husband but two other men are killed in the process. There's a confounding simplicity to Sweet Virginia, making its characters the load-bearing creeps of the film. After a phone call with his mother, Elwood becomes enraged and instigates a fight with two men. The bank now owns her home and there is no money. loneliness and emptiness of a location that might be difficult to find on all during Sweet Virginia that keep the neo-noir slow burner that is exquisitely filmed, offering you a fine score underlining appropriately smooth imagery and has a decent cast getting their job done. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. Direction 7/10 (Jamie Dagg made a good dark Neo-Noir/Neo Western thriller) 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. Director Jamie M. Dagg is a master of building suspense Theres something far too squirrely in the siblings wickedly funny, regionally infused sensibility to be replicated, and nearly everyone who tries falls flat. 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An old-soul sadness has seeped into his bones; he can still clearly remember what it was like to have the cocky power of an athlete. This movie joins in with shows like true detective. Director Jamie M. Dagg only touches on his plot briefly enough to make us worry about what information were missing, which is the opposite of the classical noir strategy to overwhelm the viewer with misdirection, betrayal and circumstance. Glenn Kenny was the chief film critic of Premiere magazine for almost half of its existence. The film doesn't have much of a point, as its characters are reductive variables in an inevitable equation of carnage. 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. While nothing special plot-wise, theres a ton of potential on display, as every shot is meticulously constructed, the dreary lighting sucking us into this story of lonely, soon to be dead hearts. A former rodeo star, with a small time life, unknowingly starts a rapport with a young man who is responsible for the violence that has suddenly gripped his small town. The two develop a strange relationship that slowly escalates while we find out who owes Elwood, why Elwood is owed and how Elwoods debt cant be paid. Upon returning to the motel, Sam finds a tenant complaining about the noise in room 128. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. After calling Lila and leaving her a threatening voicemail, he violently beats the two men before leaving. I was enjoying this movie until the abrupt, unclimactic, uncreative end. Drama. Nothing worse than that ott ,,feel this now ,,base obviousness. The motels owner, an ex-rodeo star named Sam (Jon Bernthal), is a burly, bearded cowboy with a limp and early-onset Parkinsons. Access all of our expanded, online-only, subscriber exclusive opinion writing. The writing is naunced ,with little windows being left for each character ,to ask why? It's a mystery, drama that will haunt you at the end. An ex-rodeo rider strikes up a friendship with a young man who may be behind the violence occurring in their small town. Rated R Christmas Under Wraps and 12 Gifts of Christmas were also filmed in different parts of Utah, including Provo. All people are so sad all the time. A slow burn drama, with great cinematography and score. "[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. Film data from TMDb. It's a classic case of a little becoming a lot onscreen on the basis of boasting dark atmosphere, eerie score and superb performances. for violence, some strong sexuality, language, and drug use. The problem that eclipses everything else in this film is the horrible lighting - an overdone effect. Sweet Virginia was written by brothers Paul and Benjamin China, and landed on the 2012 Black List, a roster of promising, unproduced screenplays that has since given us movies great (Arrival, Whiplash) and merely so-so (Draft Day, The Judge). A former rodeo star, now a motel manager, meets a young man who is responsible for the violence that suddenly has seized his small town. A "multi-function" face cream from the French brand Clarins that addresses skin concerns such as radiance, firmness and plumpness. . 2017 95 min R Independent, Drama, Mystery/Crime, Suspense Feature Film. All Rights Reserved. After the death of their father, two sisters and their mother come together for a week of tears, laughter, and adventure at the lake where they grew up. Killer Joe. The assassin and manager strike an uneasy relationship. Sweet Virginia is an odd title for a movie set in Alaska. As They set up the characters really well. Pretty predictable. The cast is good, the settings are correct and even cinematography. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Hearing a noise, Bernadette goes to investigate and is chased by Paul while Elwood breaks into a wall safe. 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. Indie crime films tend to be missed by the masses, unlike indie comedy which can garner more interest. We're in small town America (apparently, Alaska, though I don't remember them mentioning that in the film, and it was filmed in British Columbia, of course). Then theres Elwood (Christopher Abbott), the murderer. Elwood asks Sam if he has a girlfriend, and Sam admits he does. 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. it holds a lot of power over me like its scary. ', Donnie Yen Called Out John Wick 4 and Rogue One Asian Stereotypes, Got Scripts Changed: Why Is the Name Always Shang or Chang, The True Story Behind 'Cocaine Bear': A 175-Pound Beast, a Dead Drug Smuggler in Gucci Loafers and More, Michael B. Jordan Meets Reporter at 'Creed III' Premiere Who 'Teased Him all the Time' in High School: 'I Was the Corny Kid, Right? The title Sweet Virginia refers to an earlier draft of the film set in the American south involving a cowboy killer and all the rest of it. useless. I'd rate it 8.5/10. More at With a svelte running time of about 90 minutes, this movie hits the sweet spot. Yeah i know i cant spell get over it professor irrelevant. Watch Sweet Virginia on DIRECTV. Copyright Fandango. In a small-town Alaska, a triple murder is committed one night. This movie gripped me from start to finish. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. Und Jon Bernthal ist als Ex-Rodeo-Cowboy souvern schweigsam, aber auch erfrischend unhart. The best music, movies, TV, books, comedy and more. Sweet Virginia has no wit or wisdom within the script. It was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films. Be the first to contribute. They set up the characters really well. Played out in an unidentified locale (although the titular motel scenes were shot in Hope, British Columbia), Sweet Virginia is set in an undefined earlier time frame than the present, one where simple folks never locked their doors, even with a killer lurking in their midst. You're almost there! Dark movie. Blue Ruin. 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. Abbott has been garnering a lot of interest since The Sinner and he is the unpredictable bad guy here, he never wastes a single scene. 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