Overlooked gem, one of the best movies of the year. Small town politics. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence.A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence.A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. It definitely had moments of surprise, finding out that Lila was guilty and creepiness in general but they were just glimpses of what could have been a great thriller. He has written for a host of other publications and resides in Brooklyn. Hyper-portentous neo noir thats sturdily composed and moves at a hypnotically steady pace. Upon returning to the motel, Sam finds a tenant complaining about the noise in room 128. The movie description, in my opinion was the former rodeo champ helped Elwood but that's definitely not what happened. 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. Just so you know what you're getting into, Sweet Virginia isn't too sweet. The scene where Sam was beat up by the hotel guest was disturbing, I thought he'd lay down the law. Lost track of which characters were doing what because it was so dark. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Film data from TMDb. I'd rate it 8.5/10. The atmosphere is tense and steeped with paranoia. Elwood says his father died in a prison riot in 1996 and shows a strong disdain for him. Drama. You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off, Berlinale 2023 Highlights, Part Two: Reality, Manodrome, The Adults, Inside, Golda, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson Feted at SBIFF 2023, Revisiting Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Tragically Common: Jamie Dack, Lily McInerny and Jonathan Tucker on Palm Trees and Power Lines. it holds a lot of power over me like its scary. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. Sam knocks on the door and begins fighting with the tenant. A slow burn drama, with great cinematography and score. Killer Joe. Its strength is in its restraint. Dark movie. Mitchell's killer later approaches Sam at the motel and introduces himself as Elwood. This could be a romantic setting, if the two characters werent such icy sociopaths. 12 of 13 The Watsons Go To Birmingham 2017 Crown Media Filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. Overall this isn't a bad a movie; it's good, but not great. 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. 93 minutes Cast Jon Bernthal as Sam Christopher Abbott as Elwood Rosemarie DeWitt as Bernadette Imogen Poots as Lila Odessa Young as Maggie Scott A. McGillivray as Lloyd Stothers Director Jamie M. Dagg Writer Benjamin China Paul China As she Punisher, is cast against type. even if the sequence doesnt climax with a release of the tension. However, Sam notices that Elwood is bleeding and realizes he is the one who robbed Bernadette. and the Review: Sweet Virginia. . Showing no remorse, he blames her for the circumstances because Mitchell didn't leave the bar as she said he would. A woman is bent over and a man is seen thrusting her. You're almost there! sits trapped, the headlights move closer There are three or four such moments 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. 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. The acting is superb and cinematography is profoundly impressive. Nice movie. The website's consensus reads, "Smart and well-acted, Sweet Virginia delivers a tense, atmospheric thriller that transcends genre conventions even as it embraces them. A murderer-for-hire stews at a motel while he awaits payment for a job. Just embarrassing. Literally. 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? Taken aback, she pretends not to know Elwood before quickly leaving. to collect her husbands estate and pay him. When Crime goes wrong could be a different title. Jon Bernthal 7/10 This movie sure was well worth my time. The next morning Sam wakes up after dreaming about his former days as a bull rider. It's a simple plot, but sticks in your head after, very thought provoking. Best part is ,,you don't see it coming. 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. 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. The killer sets up stall in a motel run by a former rodeo star. Sweet Virginia has no wit or wisdom within the script. "Sweet Virginia" premiered in the Spotlight Narrative section of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. Its not so much that the story is complicated. Cool ideas and themes, some gripping action, and some decent performances (for the most part) make this film passable. 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. The bartender says, "We're closed." The photos,pace,characters,locations. Just so you know what youre getting into, Sweet Virginia isnt too sweet. As with most slow-burn neo-noir movies, Sweet Virginia thrives on atmosphere. Read Less. Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. 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. When Mitchell tells him to leave because the bar is closed, the man threatens him and angrily leaves. 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? Satisfied, he leaves and meets with Paul to enlist his services to do a job to which Paul agrees. Theres a confounding simplicity to Sweet Virginia, making its characters the load-bearing creeps of the film. 2017 The cast is good, the settings are correct and even cinematography. 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. In his 1956 essay On A Book Entitled Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov recounts both the imaginative origins of his groundbreaking novel and the difficulty he had finding a publisher for it in the United States. The locations used for filming The Virginian were picturesque and relatable. The film stars , , in the pivotal roles. Read critic reviews. 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. 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. 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. Guns N' Roses, Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson and Wizkid are on sale now. You know what is going to happen. The Virginia Film Office does not issue film permits; however, we're happy to help determine if you need one and who to talk to. neo-noir slow burner that is exquisitely filmed, offering you a fine score underlining appropriately . Whoa. Usually meek We all act crazy, I guess. 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. I can usually stick with crime stories that have a sense of humor. Everything is well done in this film. Loss and revenge. We linger on dread throughout Sweet Virginia, externalizing a movie whose strengths are all internal. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution. Film Credits Sweet Virginia (2017) Rated R for violence, some strong sexuality, language, and drug use. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and The tension builds up until the very end delivering an ending that could be considered anticlimactic, but I was a big fan. 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. This small gem is worth 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. 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. The motels owner, an ex-rodeo star named Sam (Jon Bernthal), is a burly, bearded cowboy with a limp and early-onset Parkinsons. Nothing worse than that ott ,,feel this now ,,base obviousness. The movie is a beautifully photographed, moody story that favors style over substance. 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 boring characters except for elwood (1 viewing). U-Turn. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. The camera moves slow and methodically, often lingering on a frame for a second too long. The camera mainly shows the view through the front windshield two men accompanying his target. And some scenes that should've been done in a quick 30 seconds or one minute tops took 2 or 3 minutes long. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. As Sam recovers enough to go to Bernadette's home where he learns about the break-in. loneliness and emptiness of a location that might be difficult to find on all Lots of detail. I guess God acts crazy.. Problem with small towns is everybody leaves 'em. And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. Elwood searches the room but finds that Sam has escaped through the bathroom window. 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. and unassuming, she is anything but laid-back if the situation demands it. A decent thriller drama, the villain in this movie did an exemplary performance, certainly award winning. Sign UpYes, I would like to receive Paste's newsletter, 2023 Paste Media Group. really boring and useless. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". "I'll have the early bird special." Just okay. Located somewhere in remotest Alaska, it's. Just confirm how you got your ticket. What have they done to deserve this? Blue Ruin. And also, speak up!!! Directed by Jamie M. Dagg Drama, Thriller R 1h 33m By Jeannette Catsoulis Nov. 16, 2017 A twisty, small-town thriller that blooms in the shadows and shies from the light, "Sweet Virginia". They set up the characters really well. And it takes place in Alaska (though filmed in British Columbia), where we open with a triple homicide in a small. probably enjoys. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. 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. neo-noir thriller was located in the Appalachian Mountains; however, when Like any good noir, all comes down to desire and absurd nihilism. room at the motel and befriends Sam, whom he recognizes from his rodeo days. Filmed in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. A big pile of nothingness. When the violence happens, its intense, and the threat hovers over the rest of the movie (by following Elwoods car into town during the opening scene, Dagg is able to create another high-tension set piece around the mere suggestion that the headlights Lila sees in her rearview mirror might be his). Later that night, Lila receives the threatening voicemail and tries to run away from home, but is attacked by Elwood. Their filming locations were top-notch. community would have done but cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagne captures the The movie opens with a brutal killing, as an outsider cruises into town, lurking in his car outside a local bar till well after midnight before bursting in on a friendly card game and murdering all three men in the establishment, taking money from the register practically as an afterthought. '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. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Excuse my spelling. Ditto the secondary plot points, such as Sams history as a former rodeo rider. The action in the film is great and you'll be engaged, but you'll be wishing there was more character development to really pull things together. 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. useless. 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. He extends his stay at the motel and begins giving Sam praise as a famous bull rider. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. He demands payment, and again she tells him she can get the money. This movie gripped me from start to finish. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. 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). The rest of the cast seem a little bit less asleep. Coming Soon. I dare you to try that today. Bernadette (Rosemarie DeWitt) loses her husband of 18 years in the melee, and turns to local motel manager Sam (Jon Bernthal) for solace. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. 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. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. By what name was Sweet Virginia (2017) officially released in India in English? Contact Lori, VFO Locations Manager, with the particulars of your shoot. It was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films. 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. The killer sets up stall in a quick 30 seconds or one minute tops 2! 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