Cold in July (2014) Reviews

• An Endless Orgy Of Twists & Turns That's Definitely Worth A Shot.

  CinemaClown2014-11-25

  An endless orgy of twists & turns that begins & ends with a bullet being fired, Cold in July isn't an easy film to pin into any genre because it starts as one thing, then changes its course around the middle, seems to be heading in the direction you predicted but once again takes an unexpected turn to become something else entirely. Set in 1989 Texas, the film tells the story of a local civilian who's all over the news after killing an intruder in self-defence, only to find his family being stalked by the ex-con father of the deceased. However, the two soon find themselves being misled by the police & with the help of a private investigator try to uncover the real truth. Co-written & directed by Jim Mickle, this indie keeps shifting its gear which stacks up pretty well in the end as the aura of tension that's present in the film throughout its runtime is nerve-wracking. Camera-work is expertly handled, editing is really good, background score nicely compliments the whole narrative & the tone shifts are carried out in a manner that pulls the viewers in than out. Coming to the performances, the film boasts a badass cast in Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard & Don Johnson and the trio are fabulous in their given roles. Hall plays an everyman & it is through him that we enter into the story, Shepard chips in with a strong performance as well but it's Don Johnson who impresses the most & steals every scene he's in with effortless finesse. On an overall scale, Cold in July is a tense, gripping & expertly narrated indie that offers an immersive drama which eventually culminates on a highly satisfying & emotionally rewarding note. Worthy of a wider audience & definitely one of the finest films of the year, not to mention one of the coolest as well, Cold in July is certainly worth a shot & comes highly recommended.

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• Plot Lines Dropped

  t-bone532014-05-31

  While the acting in this movie is very good and Sam Shepard's character evolves, there are major plot lines that just get dropped. It reminds me of Charlie's Angels episodes that don't make sense and we're supposed to not worry about that and just think they are cool. Same here. The statements I'm about to write could be called "spoilers" but they are not really because they don't matter. The whole middle of movie is about bad cops that tell Michael Hall that he killed Sam Shepard's son even though he really didn't in order to draw Sam Shepard to town so that they can kill him. Do we find out why the cops did that? No. Do the cops get pay back? No. Later, there is a big deal made about the Dixie mafia and what bad asses they are. Do the characters confront or even see the Dixie mafia? No. And the big stated reason why Michael Hall needs to leave his wife and kid to help Sam Shepard is to find out who he really killed. Does he ever find out? No. There is a main plot that I have not revealed, so there is something to this movie. But all this other stuff really seemed pointless.

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• A Taut and Unsullied Thriller- Great Independent Cinema

  ajit21062014-07-25

  A neo-noir directed by Jim Micklee based on a novel by Joe Lansdale, a dark, grim and gritty tale of retaliation and retributions. The ramifications of a murder, lead to the carnage and involved people can go at any length. This is not your usual thriller but a compelling mysterious story which keeps us at the edge of our seats. Set in 1989 Texas, Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) a common family man, one night defensively guns down an intruder. The police quickly identify the corpse as a wanted criminal and bury him. Richard still feels the remorse of killing a human being and goes to the cemetery where the dead man's father Ben Russell (Sam Shepard) threatens to kill Richard's young son. In order to save his family Richard takes police help however consequently he unfolds some secrets, now Richard and Ben will take the assistance of a brash private detective, Jim Bob (Dan Johnson), to crawl to the core of Richard's uncertainty. The narrative is paced with lots of twists and turns to keep us engaged throughout the run time of 150 minutes. The minute details of 80's Texas are just impeccable. The screenplay will keep you on your toes as the tension builds subsequently. The overwhelming final shot portrays a brutal and stylized violent scene which is fresh and instinctual. However, some of the details are missing here as the some unexplained loose ends which are not tied and there should have been a better female cast. The performances are brilliant, Hall is stellar as a protective family man and the transformation his character is immaculate. Shepard is remarkable as a distressed father, looking for his son. Johnson is a scene stealer having as much fun as anyone can within such confine. Cold in July is a captivating experience with tense and unsettling tone. The independent cinema is at its best. My Vite 7.5/10

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• Didn't disappoint!

  TommyT142014-07-04

  The cast fit the roles perfectly, Michael C Hall performance grows as his character evolves during the film, Sam Shepard plays it cool throughout and Don Johnson, my favourite character, as the private detective is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise intense, gritty thriller. The overall 80s theme is apparent throughout, the soundtrack by Jeff Grace is very similar to that of a John Carpenter score. I went into this film with quite high expectations after watching the trailer, the story line kept me on my toes with plenty of twists and turns i wasn't expecting at all, a killer soundtrack, awesome cast and an indie look and feel about it similar to the film 'Drive' – Cold in July certainly didn't disappoint. Well worth a watch! 7.5/10

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• Dirty, seedy, pulpy, campy.... Awesome!

  Joe_Chadowski2014-05-26

  This dirty little piece of Texas pulp rides the fine line of art of trash with brilliant composure as its dark script teases you with how far it'll go. The seed is planted when an everyman kills an intruder in his home, and the story spins wildly out of control from there. The story moves forward at a brisk pace and never looks back. Sure that means there are as many holes as there are unanswered questions, but such is the case with pulp. You gotta live in the now, man. In the end, I'm still not sure how to process what I've seen, and I've gained no further insight or knowledge about myself, the world, or humanity. And I wouldn't have it any other way

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