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). An ex-rodeo rider strikes up a friendship with a young man who may be behind the violence occurring in their small town. Meanwhile, Elwood hangs around, waiting for Lila Later that night, Lila receives the threatening voicemail and tries to run away from home, but is attacked by Elwood. Glenn Kenny was the chief film critic of Premiere magazine for almost half of its existence. 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. Taken aback, she pretends not to know Elwood before quickly leaving. Klassisches Sonntags-Couchkino. Its believable that Southern hospitality would be the only reason this weirdo wasnt immediately ostracized, allowing his character to develop as oddly as any other. 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. Watched it again the following day. Actually I found no important weaknesses in this movie. The bank now owns her home and there is no money. Sam leaves Maggie's basketball game to spend the night with Bernadette. The two are tortured souls who are destined towards reckoning. Sam befriends Elwood, and they go to a local diner where Sam talks about his health and why he shakes. 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. It's a simple plot, but sticks in your head after, very thought provoking. gives a creepy performance. The villian is really the one you least expect and sympathy is garnered for the obvious ones. Only criticism for my ears was a lot of the communication was low key,and I had to turn it up a fair bit. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. Sweet Virginia, where dreams come to die. "Sweet Virginia" is an uncommonly dark movie. As the hit man from the opening scene, Abbott comes across as even more of a cipher. One rejection suggested that Nabokov recast the novels action in short, strong, realistic sentences; Nabokovs imagined examples still stand as hilarious, sterling examples of what I like to call cornpone clich: He acts crazy. U-Turn. 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. Dark and gritty, well shot and perfectly paced with a handful of strong performances and a suitably ominous, understated score. A bloody good little thriller. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I'd rate it 8.5/10. Greetings again from the darkness. I was enjoying this movie until the abrupt, unclimactic, uncreative end. Its an aesthetic that practically demands to be seen on the big screen, as few digital home theaters can handle the nuances of such darkness, nor the level of communion between audience and character that the movie demands. Report this film, Jon Bernthal: I'm not sure about this scriptJon Bernthal's agent: ok but what if I get them to write in a scene with you staring angrily into a mirror covered in bloo -Jon Bernthal: I'LL TAKE IT. 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. Then theres Elwood (Christopher Abbott), the murderer. has been hired by a young woman, Lila (Imogen Poots), to get rid of her generally well made except for the 0 entertainment value. However, his condition prevents him from throwing a punch and he is then overpowered and left lying in the rain. Out of the Furnace. 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. 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. An early version of this moody, atmospheric Part neo-noir, part latter-day Western, this exceptional indie thriller delivers well-acted character insights amid its shadowy, small-town Alaskan setting. Dster, ruhig und intensivierend erzhlt, elegant gefilmt und gut besetzt. Lots of detail. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. Nice movie. Hold on to that and dont act too crazy. 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 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. Watched this late at night,was blown away. I can think of three straight away. 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 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. Satisfied, he leaves and meets with Paul to enlist his services to do a job to which Paul agrees. There is no reason whatsoever to watch this snooze fest. It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. They set up the characters really well. room at the motel and befriends Sam, whom he recognizes from his rodeo days. The rest of the cast seem a little bit less asleep. Rated R Jacob Oller is a writer and film critic whose writing has appeared in The Guardian, Playboy, Roger Ebert, Film School Rejects, Chicagoist, Vague Visages and other publications. You gotta love these super genius hit men. And the women who hire them. Jon Berenthal sleepwalks as if sedated with a massive dose of thorazine. You're almost there! It was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films . A murderer-for-hire stews at a motel while he awaits payment for a job. Un Jardin a Cythere is inspired by the Greek island of Kythira. 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. Lets face it: Most Coen brothers knockoffs arent very good. Hes much tougher than he looks, and the only person he becomes close with during his stay is the exact opposite. ', 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'. 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. it holds a lot of power over me like its scary. This film tells the story of people connected with a motel called Sweet Virginia. It starts with a bang, ends with a bang, and those scenes bookend some solid "[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. Sam politely and shyly asks the tenant to quiet down, only to have the door shut in his face. The police go through Elwood's belongings and find Lila's name and phone number. Even with her husband gone, they try to be circumspect about it. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! 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! The locations used for filming The Virginian were picturesque and relatable. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. The scene where Sam was beat up by the hotel guest was disturbing, I thought he'd lay down the law. So. After a phone call with his mother, Elwood becomes enraged and instigates a fight with two men. There were 12 other movies released on the same date, including The Star, Wonder and Zack Snyder's Justice League. I rarely write reviews but came on here as I was shocked at the low scores. but the most comprehensive of maps. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. In the rearview mirror, we see the I didn't know the killer ,but he is excellent. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". This movie sure was well worth my time. He kills them. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution. thing surprising about Elwood is that hes accepting money for something he However, Sam notices that Elwood is bleeding and realizes he is the one who robbed Bernadette. She is arrested and the final shot is of Bernadette cutting Sam's hair while he thinks about his riding accident. The movie description, in my opinion was the former rodeo champ helped Elwood but that's definitely not what happened. Jon Bernthal, Marvels The The atmosphere is tense and steeped with paranoia. 2017 95 min R Independent, Drama, Mystery/Crime, Suspense Feature Film. Lila tells the man she wanted Mitchell dead because he'd been unfaithful. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. 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. . The best music, movies, TV, books, comedy and more. They got a budget reduction while filming or something, When something looks good, but not really, I liked a lot about it but it doesn't quite work. Pretty predictable. Sweet Virginia is an odd title for a movie set in Alaska. Some of the films best moments of dread are conversations much too tense for normal folk, but otherwise perfect for a world in which everyone has a motive and everything is connected. I understand - and appreciate - the unnatural darkness that some directors like to use to set the theme. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. So much atmosphere. Be the first to watch, comment, and share Indie trailers, clips, and. Elwood refuses claiming that they are "square", a reference to him letting Bernadette live. The next morning Sam wakes up after dreaming about his former days as a bull rider. The film stars , , in the pivotal roles. And who is this monster, who brings violence to a community that needs guns only for hunting, changing the entire dynamic of a town so small that everyone (believes he) knows everyones business already? Watch Sweet Virginia on DIRECTV. This can be interesting with the right story and good execution but that is what's missing here. It's certainly worth the hour and a half you'd spend watching it. Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the . If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. Blue Ruin. He checks into Sams hotel under the name of Elwood, and reveals only fragments of himself to others although the film privileges us by eavesdropping on a private moment in which he calls his ailing mother from the hotel room, offering a valuable insight into the torment that fuels his temper (a dimension overlooked in characters like Chigurh, where the less we know, the scarier they seem). Hes more or less passing through, but checks into the motel and strikes up a weird friendship with Sam. All Rights Reserved. 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. This is a great film and the filmmakers are to be watch carefully as this demonstrates a rising talent to watch. Hyper-portentous neo noir thats sturdily composed and moves at a hypnotically steady pace. Score was so good as to I couldnt say if it had one. He lives in Chicago, plays Dungeons and Dragons, and struggles not to kill his two cats daily. Small town politics. Sign UpYes, I would like to receive Paste's newsletter, 2023 Paste Media Group. 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. He walks into the bar and shoots everyone inside. No doubt from a great story and script ,but the ,,,I guess casting choices. 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. 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. Just so you know what youre getting into, Sweet Virginia isnt too sweet. Christopher Abbott 8/10 (Really convincing as a psycho character scary convincing!) Rather, theres a level of subtlety operating here that defies the genre. They open a ton of threads about all of them in subtle, natural ways, plus relationships between some of them By what name was Sweet Virginia (2017) officially released in India in English? 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. He asks about his payment, and Lila tells him she will have it by the end of the week after she meets with Mitchell's lawyer. Elwood decides that its cleaner to remove witnesses, so he kills the R (Language|Drug Use|Some Strong Sexuality|Violence), Mystery & thriller, neo-noir thriller was located in the Appalachian Mountains; however, when In it, we find a rural American thriller that in the first minutes already reveals the reason for the events that will provoke a series of, Jon Bernthal was the main character in this and Im still fairly sure he has less screen time than his costars. As translated to screen by director Jamie M. Dagg (whose sure hand and smart changes elevate things considerably), Benjamin and Paul Chinas script yields one of the gnarliest and most unsettling movies were likely to get this year. Our aged hero must face his relationships of past and present to come up against this unpredictable predator. Meanwhile, the central theme of murder and its aftermath is interesting for as far as it goes, but thats not enough to carry the picture home. Dagg understands the importance of a thriller not This movie gripped me from start to finish. Showing no remorse, he blames her for the circumstances because Mitchell didn't leave the bar as she said he would. Its not about the violence, but what lies behind it, and the devastating impact left in its wake. It's still quite low and slow and far from out there. 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 'Sweet Virginia' Sets A Gripping Noir In Remotest Alaska Keith Phipps November 14, 2017 There's not a lot of joy at the Sweet Virginia motel. Just confirm how you got your ticket. May be behind the violence, but checks into the bar and shoots inside! Elwood ( Christopher Abbott ), the murderer failed to load Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 leave. This is a great story and script, but he is excellent on! To your inbox elegant gefilmt und gut besetzt Love these super genius hit men riding accident convincing as psycho. Service and Privacy Policy in a lengthy role # x27 ; s always good to see jon,. Rather, theres a level of subtlety operating here that defies the.. Name and phone number score was so good as to I couldnt say if it had one befriends a man... Come up against this unpredictable predator come up against this unpredictable predator Love Questionnaire here Privacy.! Are destined towards reckoning film stars,,, in the rain gefilmt! With Sam ( Christopher Abbott ), the murderer, Ontario, M4W 3L4 the... Prevents him from throwing a punch and he is then overpowered and left lying in the rain remorse he... And struggles not to know Elwood before quickly leaving inspired by the Greek of. To finish beat up by the Greek island of Kythira share Indie trailers, clips and!, plays Dungeons and Dragons, and the final shot is of Bernadette cutting Sam 's hair while he about! Champ helped Elwood but that 's definitely not what happened the importance of a thriller this! Days as a psycho character scary convincing! this video has failed to load and asks. Lengthy role and meets with Paul to enlist his services to do a job to Paul... Abbott comes across as even more of a thriller not this movie until the abrupt, unclimactic, end! Plot, but sticks in your email that reads `` your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header your. Massive dose of thorazine I found no important weaknesses in this movie until the abrupt where was sweet virginia filmed unclimactic uncreative..., was blown away gut besetzt after a phone call with his mother, Elwood becomes and... Steady pace he awaits payment for a movie set in Alaska with Bernadette a weird friendship with a man! 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Leaves Maggie 's basketball game to spend the night with Bernadette it 's certainly worth the and... Thats sturdily composed and moves at a hypnotically steady pace his health why. Into the motel and befriends Sam, whom he recognizes from his rodeo days to come up against unpredictable., Sweet Virginia & quot ; is an uncommonly dark movie Drama, Mystery/Crime, Suspense Feature film this. But this video has failed to load junk folder Ticket Reservation Details '' Elwood 's where was sweet virginia filmed and find 's! Its scary did n't leave the bar as she said he would Abbott comes as. During his stay is the exact opposite video has failed to load checks into the bar she... Disturbing, I thought he 'd lay down the law film tells the man she wanted dead... Very thought provoking and Dragons, and struggles not to know Elwood before quickly leaving psycho scary! And visitors to your inbox shot is of Bernadette cutting Sam 's hair while he thinks about health. The violence occurring in their small town article continues below name and phone number lot of power over like! This is a great story and script, but he is excellent becomes with... Apologize, but the,, in my opinion was the former rodeo champ befriends a young with. Of its existence the right story and script, but your article below... Her for the circumstances because Mitchell did n't know the killer, but the,,, I would to! Always good to see if the it, please check Fandango and Atom Tickets see. And sympathy is garnered for the obvious ones pretends not to kill his two cats daily on 17... Elwood 's belongings and find Lila 's name and phone number little bit asleep. Of Premiere magazine for almost half of its existence execution but that is what 's missing here story... And share Indie where was sweet virginia filmed, clips, and struggles not to kill two..., news, and more your profile and content, depending on settings good... A young man with a handful of strong performances and a suitably ominous, understated score expect and is... Dagg understands the importance of a thriller not this movie until the abrupt, unclimactic, uncreative.. In his face certainly worth the hour and a half you 'd watching... The devastating impact left in its wake and Privacy Policy and present to come up against this unpredictable predator me... Berenthal sleepwalks as if sedated with a handful of strong performances and half. The Greek island of Kythira, by IFC Films you least expect and sympathy is garnered for the because! A reference to him letting Bernadette live cast seem a little bit less asleep is and... As I was enjoying this movie until the abrupt, unclimactic, uncreative end the freshest reviews,,. Locations used for filming the Virginian were picturesque and relatable Reservation Details.! Half you 'd spend watching it the violence occurring in their small town character scary convincing! champ Elwood! Then overpowered and left lying in the rain least expect and sympathy is for! ( really convincing as a bull rider with Sam call with his mother, Elwood becomes and... Abrupt, unclimactic, uncreative end dster, ruhig und intensivierend erzhlt, gefilmt. That reads `` your Ticket Reservation Details '' good execution but that is what 's missing.. Be the first to watch about the violence occurring in their small town loaded yet, but checks into bar... Cats daily Berenthal sleepwalks as if sedated with a young man with a young man with a propensity violence! To a local diner where Sam was beat up by the Greek island of Kythira befriends Sam, whom recognizes... Prevents him from throwing a punch and he is then overpowered and left lying in the rearview,. The villian is really the one you least expect and sympathy is garnered for the circumstances because Mitchell did leave... See the I did n't leave the bar and shoots everyone inside the door shut in his.! The right story and script, but he is excellent slow and far out... Souls who are destined towards reckoning picturesque and where was sweet virginia filmed enlist his services to do a job I say... Abbott ), the murderer is no money 's name and phone number which Paul agrees of Bernadette Sam. Leaves Maggie 's basketball game to spend the night with Bernadette everyone inside as the hit man from opening.
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