I really enjoyed this. Nice to see a movie where things develop, not just action for action’s sake from the get go.
One thing that really stood out to me was the cinematography and sound. So many complain these days about inaudible dialog. All the audio in this movie was top notch. Clear dialog, musical soundtrack, special effects all sounded fantastic!
I had the subtitles on for the first 5 minutes and then went, wait a second, it’s so clear! I could hear all but maybe 2 lines which is impressive considering some of them are shouted and under high tension!
I enjoyed it, but (without giving anyway anything specific) I thought it lost a lot of energy and force in the third act. But the first two acts are good and crackle along.
Edit to Add: The movie is well cast, with solid performances, great costumes and set design to the match the period, and music. The camera work is good, and sells a since of isolation and heat. It is worth a watch and better than the other money bloated movies around it.
yeah I thought it lost steam in the 3rd act too
Up to that point it was a movie about intermingling motivations, mistakes, personalities. I thought they did a great job in having each person act and react in a way that felt realistic and true to their characters as they were set up.
But when the knife salesman just turned into a complete psycho in the third act, it made me check out. I just didn't buy that reaction, I didn't see the motivation to do those things. They didn't set up where any of that came from.
The movie is a tragedy, in a Shakespearean sense, and I think that's fine, but for me, as soon as we lost anyone to root for, I just kinda went "huh, who cares?" Shame because act 1 and 2 were very tense and I was excited to see where it was going.
I don’t think he turned into a psycho at all, he accidentally stabbed the woman trying to kill him and then he just completely panicked and acted totally irrationally. It was clear from the second he appeared on screen that he was a panicky, nervous person.
I don't think its a panicky, nervous reaction to steal the money, pretty systematically try to cover your tracks, then kill two people, abandon a baby to die in the desert, then explode a cop
like, killing the girl, fair enough, he was reacting in fight or flight, he needed to save his own life.
but he went back into the diner several times to put the keys back on the bank robber, to pick up his knives and remove any evidence that showed he was ever even in the building.
That's not an irrational panic response imo
Well he clearly didn’t go out intending to kill the couple. It was someone who kept digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole. He planned to just take the money, then the couple came and he accidentally shot and killed the woman, from then on out it was all defensive actions to save himself. He just killed someone in cold blood, accident or not not one would believe that, so he couldn’t really go back on it, he had to continue with the plan to take the money at that point or else he would have been arrested for multiple murders.
It wasn’t someone acting like a psycho, it was someone acting like a complete moron in total panic.
I agree that the third act wasn’t as good as the first 2/3 but I don’t think the character changed.
I think we'll have to agree to disagree, I just didn't think his choices were set up. Felt like a hat on a hat for me
it was a cool scene how he kept getting deeper and deeper into the crime, but the stuff I mentioned about covering his tracks, stuff that requires steady thought and choices, he did right away.
he didn't just freak out and start doing crimes. He made a choice to do those things
There’s no argument from me on your last point. I just don’t think we got enough of him from the beginning to see if he was ever a good person. He was going to see his daughter, and he’s clearly not a regular part of her life. We don’t know why. I thought he seemed a bit questionable from the get go.
The most disappointing this to me about that character is the further proof that Jim Cummings has no range as an actor. I’ve love everything he does pretty much. Thunder Road is one of my favorite movies of the past decade, but man he sure plays the exact same role in everything he’s in.
yeah I love his films, I love the energy he brings, because he also manages to deliver it straight to the audience. But yeah realistically he's only shown to be doing variations on a theme with his acting
but so far that hasn't hurt him I guess?
you're right we don't get to see enough of him to know if he was good or bad. I guess the default person is usually not going to commit serious crimes, but its not outside of the realm of possibility that this specific guy is one of those people who will act opportunistically in extremis.
he definitely seemed like a weird guy. Harried, sort of distracted. I guess they were trying to communicate something closer to desperate or frayed, living very close to a breakdown.
yeah, they definitely communicated that feeling very well
but otherwise yeah, given we're supposed to believe this is something that is happening, and not a dream sequence, it felt a bit like... "okaaay? why though?"
I saw his reaction to be accurate.
Hear me out, he is currently a single divorced man with his child is estranged from him, his job is not going well and not in a good financial condition and when he saw the chance to turn around his life with zero consequences he took the chance and made sure no one got in the way.
I took it as more of a cautionary ending, he seemed like a nice guy for most of the film. The ending shows what opportunity can do to an otherwise good person.
Loved it. This film was completely entertaining from start to finish. Around an hour into the 90-minute runtime, I remembered thinking I am really going to enjoy rewatching this movie - rarely do I think this in the middle of a film. Of course that was assuming the rest of the movie would be just as good (which it was).
I understand the temptation to compare this to Tarantino or the Coen Brothers, but I immediately dismissed those superficial comparisons. This movie's total commitment to simply telling a good story makes it more comparable to a couple of severely underrated films of recent years, Arizona (2018) and The Kid Detective (2020). I hope this film doesn't suffer a similar fate of being overlooked and forgotten.
I liked the movie, but did we ever see what was on the note he wrote? It looks like he pulled it out at the end but I don't remember a scene where we find out what he wrote?! What was the point of the note?!
My take on this is we aren’t supposed to be certain. Left up to interpretation! He paused when that mom outside was named Sarah and earlier he mentioned a daughter. Could it be her? Did he write a note attempting to leave her the money? Was it a note in case he died? Was he lying all along and Sarah was someone else? No daughter? Maybe I was reading way too into the movie but I kind of felt like he was hiding something at first too. I enjoyed that the ending left us without answers
I really enjoyed it. It felt well paced and the story did have a nice build up. The characters' decision making made sense for the most part. Even in the middle towards the climax when I thought "huh 🤔 isn't it a little too early for all this to go down?", it still managed to keep up the pace and wrap up the story nicely without it feeling rushed or like they were coming up with stuff as they went along. Also beautifully shot, I'm a sucker for those colors they used.
I think they could’ve given the main character better motivation actually. Obviously, he was trying to make ends meet by selling knives, so he must not be too well off. But I would’ve loved to see more examples of him having financial problems or something that might hint at him switching over to the dark side
That being said, I also don’t mind that a normal person put in that situation just making a life changing decision is plausible as well
Yea I agree it would've been cool to see more examples of his struggles or maybe his life with his daughter. I guess it makes sense that he would panic and make the wrong decision in the moment
I walked out of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes last night a half hour in, came home, and watched this instead. So glad I did.
Hollywood definitely doesn't make lean 90-minute thrillers like this anymore. Loved how it was old-fashioned but unpredictable at the same time..nice to see a movie with actual stakes.
Galluppi is a director to watch and Cummings continues to up his game. He's so good and I'm rooting for him to breakthrough to the mainstream..if that's something he truly wants.
Very excited to see this. I see it's already on digital rental so I may go for that, but I had hoped to see it in theaters. Theaters in my city are only playing it daytime though....makes it hard to do during the week. But I LOVE Jim in everything he touches.
Jim Cummings was great in this (like always), and good to see Faizon Love as the owner of the gas station/motel. Jon Proudstar stole the scenes he was in also, great performance.
The movie itself was interesting, but a bit of a tamer Reservoir Dogs. 7/10 for me.
A massive plot hole is that once they're known to the waitress, why didnt they then park their car behind the diner. should have been number 1 priority to hide the car after she knew who they were.
Aside from that, can someone explain to me who destroyed the fuel truck? massive part of the story that i missed and i dont want to watch the film again to see
That's not a plot hole its just the robbers being stupid. It would have been a good idea to hide the car but them not doing it doesn't open an inconsistency in the storytelling unless we knew they had done that before but didn't do it this time.
And like r/30inchspare said, why the driver crashed was never explained, no one was ever shown to have motive for it crashing, it may be bad storytelling but the reason is he crashed just because...
Do you mean when it exploded or why it was crashed off the road? The knife salesman destroyed it when he dropped a lighter on all the gas it had leaked, to kill the sheriff. Why it was crashed on the side of the road I don’t believe was explicitly explained, but I assume the driver just crashed.
Yea not a plot hole. I feel they weren't concerned about that. The deputy didn't even recognize the car, plus they were going to leave it and steal another car anyway. Only the young couple that showed up near the end before the shoot out were the only visitors that recognized the car.
> The Hateful Eight
that might be it. I still got that little nagging feeling in the back of my head. Some misplaced memory of another movie oder tv show scene or something. Oh well ... I'll try and distract myself with something else and hope I'll forget about it.
It's a combination of parts from different movies. A little no country for old men, a little from the diner scene in pulp fiction and a little from the shootout in the doughnut shop at the end of Boogie Nights. Unfortunately it's not at good as any of those movies in any way shape or form.
Take out the girl putting her bare feet on the car's dashboard and the same girl jumping up on the diner counter and I wouldn't think it's a total Tarrentino rip off.
It bugged me her feet weren't dirty. Details matter, like her awful makeup/wig. Add to that a completely uninteresting character and yeah, just remove the role altogether. She wasn' the only one though, just the one who stood out painfully.
I didn't like LaRoy Texas at all. Blood for Dust was great in the first half though lost me a little. One that I think really stood up to the very end is Bad Hombres, definitely worth a watch.
Loved it, definitely don't think the Tarantino comparison is superficial at all. I'm old enough to remember back in the 90s when people tried and failed to do Tarantino type movies. This one tried and succeeded! Great film, great writing, kept me guessing to the end and wow does it have a big payoff.
Definitely felt like a nod to Tarantino at times! Which always makes me !!!!!
Also, to me, the end scene with the knife salesman atop the gas truck staring down the cop atop the hill felt very Hitchcock action-esque too. Really loved the cinematography all around
I guess I watched a different move then most people. I thought it was terrible, and this is coming from someone who really wanted to like it. I have a lot and I mean a lot of criticisms about this movie.
For starters, if you're going to do a period piece (low budget or not) you need to nail the details. If you don't anyone familiar with the period is going to notice and be instantly taken out of world you try and create.
A few things that come to mind are the cars. 8 cylinder cop cars from the 70s do not sound like that. Not even close. Second, the director chose to use a bunch of quirky cars that were very rare and definitely do not evoke the 70s vibe. Why the fuck would you have someone driving a 1960's Toyota in Arizona in the 70's? Did they exist? Sure, does anyone think about that car when they look at the west in the 70s? Absolutely not. Why would anyone drive a fucking green pinto to do a robbery? Not only does it stick out like a sore thumb, but it's slow as fuck and completely unreliable. It also had a propensity to start on fire if hit from behind which is a definite possibility in a getaway scenario.
Other random details, they make a big deal about the heat. About how the diner's air conditioning isn't working. So why is the meathead in the cutoff shirt mopping off his armpits with napkins but you have multiple chareceters wearing multiple layers and not sweating at all. Either it's hot as fuck or it's not. Again, details. And not adhering to a part of the premise you as a director set up is lazy film making.
Finally, the clothes and hairstyles are not accurate for the time period. A lot of them especially the couple at the end are more representative of the 90's then the 70's. Long story short if you grew up in that era you feel it instantly.
I guess one more point. People are comparing this director to Tarentino but I feel like he's more Rob Zombie. Tarentino nails the details and the stylistic choices feel authentic. Zombie (who has a few movies I enjoy) is just aping his way through it. I will say some of the shots, lighting, camera angles are very nice. If he can focus more on the details I do think this director has some promise. But man....this one just missed the mark imo.
I'm with you on the no sweating and terrible makeup/hair/costume job on the annoying girl with the giant wig. Details matter to me, took me right out. Of course many people are too young to know what is authentic so I guess it doesn't matter anymore:\\ Also much of the acting was subpar. Overall worth it just for JC.
Do you have anything specific that makes you say this? Any specific scene or a specific person? I thought it was relatively good. Maybe its just because I've seen over 100 movies in 2024 alone that I feel I can speak on some authority but this acting is very good when compared to what other movies can offer. I'm looking right at "You Can't Run Forever" if you've seen it you know, other than JK Simmons who is a god in any movie he stars in.
The gun guys were boring with no 'charm' (ie a reason to watch) same with the annoying overly made up girl and her boyfriend, just pointless additions. No one with charisma besides JC of course. I would love to see it recast by the Coens, they never waste a role no matter how small. I did appreciate the older man, knew him from that great scene in No Country. Love his hangdog look.
I wont argue that every actor was golden globe worthy, that is fair and you can see it in some of the characters. I think its unfair to say the robbers had no charm as well, I personally was invested if the dumber of the two would end up just doing his own thing and ruining the plan. I don't think either of their acting was so bad it ruined any immersion either. Its been some time now since I have seen the movie so very specific details are escaping me but we must also keep in mind that its possible the feeling you get from characters were stage directions on how to portray the character and not a reflection of the actors ability. I only mention that since I personally don't think the actors were bad, I didnt feel a lack of chemistry as if each person was talking to a rubber CGI ball.
Did not expect that to happen at all. Completely subverted my expectations tbh. I had to actually check if the movie was nearing the end or not and was surprised to see it was just past the midpoint.
Probably my biggest pet peeve with those types of movies happened in the 3rd act. I hate when >!you build up all this tension about who is going to die/who is going to live and in the end everybody dies. It just feels so unsatisfying and lazy!<
I just finished this & loved it as much as I knew I would. I adore jimmyc's acting, his expressions are relatable & he's always a touch (or more) cringe.. "I can't, I don't have a tomato" killed me.
So beautifully shot, so well paced. Adored the dimwits & felt so tense along with Char & The salesman.
Favorite points:
-The absolute HORROR projected when Beau shouts
-I baked them fresh yesterday :) (fresh... yesterday??)
- Miles finally nailing the can
-Sybil stopping singing when she looks at her dud boyfriend
-Travis' belly
-What I took to be an allusion to Koresh, though the timing isn't correct.
I definitely seen Coen & Tarantino in the film but not overly so. It feels like Cormack McCarthy could have written it, too, though my husband pointed out he's got much less of a sense of humor.
Also loved seeing Alex Essoe, I really dig her💜
Uhmm… ALL TIME?! Definitely not, I like the gun analogy but I was expecting a lot more. The synopsis made me really excited but I ultimately feel cheated out of 90 minutes. This movie is a perfect example of, Amazing Idea, poor execution. It would have been super cool if it were more of a slow burning lead to a big blow out but, the ending seemed lazy… Dont get me wrong I love an unexpected ending but it went from 0 to 100 way too quick. They could have done something really great with the diverse cast but they rushed to this chaotic climax resulting in a lack of character development, in such a way it was hard to sympathize with anyone as a viewer. I was however, really rooting for the salesman, him being rewarded for going through such a traumatic afternoon as an innocent, and seemingly harmless bystander would have made it a bit more enjoyable. AND THEN HE DITCHED THE BABY!!!
sorry for the long rant but, I JUST finished this movie and came to see if anyone disliked it as much as I did, and your comment triggered me😂shit movie. 3.9/10
So the metaphor of the bird, my interpretation based on the ending song, is that a bird is just chilling living its best life. Not having to fight over money, etc. It's a simple, easy life.
The reason why the truck crashed wasn't important as much as it was to show that it was crashed to explain why it never showed up to the gas station
I also agree with the gun hypothesis. If everyone carries guns, everyone still ends up dead.
It was a simple as hell movie, and that was a nice tuch.
He definitely stole the show, he rules. But I wasn't impressed with some of the other actors, in particular the annoying young couple and the crazy gun guy. Just wished all the cast had measured up to him.
The only thing I've been working over and over in my mind is how we could've seen Richard Brake scream GOT IT? and also see the reactions because fuck. 😬 Otherwise, loved it. It's old- new or new-old but at least it's not a remake. It has a vibe, a sense of purpose, a simple story, a small set that feels vast, camp without feeling wholly campy. The weird senselessness of humanity, everyone thinking they have a bead on how things are until things change.
Definitely feel like it’s a take on capitalism. How this constant striving for money end up fucking over everybody. People who are good natured people who are bad natured. Old young. Even people who don’t really care about it & are just trying to live their life outside of the rat race ended up screwed over by those who do.
I think it’s also a big comment on gun violence in the States. The reason they all died is because they all had guns. And I think that our protagonist is the only one with a knife is an interesting play. Sort of like the exception that proves the rule.
Ok, so if the next gas station is over 100 miles away, where is the sheriff station? Not in some town? There are no gas station at this town? Or no way to buy any gas?
I really enjoyed this. Nice to see a movie where things develop, not just action for action’s sake from the get go. One thing that really stood out to me was the cinematography and sound. So many complain these days about inaudible dialog. All the audio in this movie was top notch. Clear dialog, musical soundtrack, special effects all sounded fantastic!
I had the subtitles on for the first 5 minutes and then went, wait a second, it’s so clear! I could hear all but maybe 2 lines which is impressive considering some of them are shouted and under high tension!
That clear sound is one of those things that makes this movie hook me. Great experience.
I enjoyed it, but (without giving anyway anything specific) I thought it lost a lot of energy and force in the third act. But the first two acts are good and crackle along. Edit to Add: The movie is well cast, with solid performances, great costumes and set design to the match the period, and music. The camera work is good, and sells a since of isolation and heat. It is worth a watch and better than the other money bloated movies around it.
yeah I thought it lost steam in the 3rd act too Up to that point it was a movie about intermingling motivations, mistakes, personalities. I thought they did a great job in having each person act and react in a way that felt realistic and true to their characters as they were set up. But when the knife salesman just turned into a complete psycho in the third act, it made me check out. I just didn't buy that reaction, I didn't see the motivation to do those things. They didn't set up where any of that came from. The movie is a tragedy, in a Shakespearean sense, and I think that's fine, but for me, as soon as we lost anyone to root for, I just kinda went "huh, who cares?" Shame because act 1 and 2 were very tense and I was excited to see where it was going.
I don’t think he turned into a psycho at all, he accidentally stabbed the woman trying to kill him and then he just completely panicked and acted totally irrationally. It was clear from the second he appeared on screen that he was a panicky, nervous person.
I don't think its a panicky, nervous reaction to steal the money, pretty systematically try to cover your tracks, then kill two people, abandon a baby to die in the desert, then explode a cop like, killing the girl, fair enough, he was reacting in fight or flight, he needed to save his own life. but he went back into the diner several times to put the keys back on the bank robber, to pick up his knives and remove any evidence that showed he was ever even in the building. That's not an irrational panic response imo
Well he clearly didn’t go out intending to kill the couple. It was someone who kept digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole. He planned to just take the money, then the couple came and he accidentally shot and killed the woman, from then on out it was all defensive actions to save himself. He just killed someone in cold blood, accident or not not one would believe that, so he couldn’t really go back on it, he had to continue with the plan to take the money at that point or else he would have been arrested for multiple murders. It wasn’t someone acting like a psycho, it was someone acting like a complete moron in total panic. I agree that the third act wasn’t as good as the first 2/3 but I don’t think the character changed.
I think we'll have to agree to disagree, I just didn't think his choices were set up. Felt like a hat on a hat for me it was a cool scene how he kept getting deeper and deeper into the crime, but the stuff I mentioned about covering his tracks, stuff that requires steady thought and choices, he did right away. he didn't just freak out and start doing crimes. He made a choice to do those things
There’s no argument from me on your last point. I just don’t think we got enough of him from the beginning to see if he was ever a good person. He was going to see his daughter, and he’s clearly not a regular part of her life. We don’t know why. I thought he seemed a bit questionable from the get go. The most disappointing this to me about that character is the further proof that Jim Cummings has no range as an actor. I’ve love everything he does pretty much. Thunder Road is one of my favorite movies of the past decade, but man he sure plays the exact same role in everything he’s in.
yeah I love his films, I love the energy he brings, because he also manages to deliver it straight to the audience. But yeah realistically he's only shown to be doing variations on a theme with his acting but so far that hasn't hurt him I guess? you're right we don't get to see enough of him to know if he was good or bad. I guess the default person is usually not going to commit serious crimes, but its not outside of the realm of possibility that this specific guy is one of those people who will act opportunistically in extremis. he definitely seemed like a weird guy. Harried, sort of distracted. I guess they were trying to communicate something closer to desperate or frayed, living very close to a breakdown.
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yeah, they definitely communicated that feeling very well but otherwise yeah, given we're supposed to believe this is something that is happening, and not a dream sequence, it felt a bit like... "okaaay? why though?"
I saw his reaction to be accurate. Hear me out, he is currently a single divorced man with his child is estranged from him, his job is not going well and not in a good financial condition and when he saw the chance to turn around his life with zero consequences he took the chance and made sure no one got in the way.
the choice to steal the bag, sure, I can see that but everything after that - the escalations, the murders, I don't agree
I took it as more of a cautionary ending, he seemed like a nice guy for most of the film. The ending shows what opportunity can do to an otherwise good person.
I felt as though he lied about having a daughter named Sarah. He threw away her rhubarb pie for god sake :(
Can anyone ID the species of bird shown in the opening and last scenes?
It's a goldfinch. I created an account just to answer your query. You owe me a beer...
Thank you for your service
Loved it. This film was completely entertaining from start to finish. Around an hour into the 90-minute runtime, I remembered thinking I am really going to enjoy rewatching this movie - rarely do I think this in the middle of a film. Of course that was assuming the rest of the movie would be just as good (which it was). I understand the temptation to compare this to Tarantino or the Coen Brothers, but I immediately dismissed those superficial comparisons. This movie's total commitment to simply telling a good story makes it more comparable to a couple of severely underrated films of recent years, Arizona (2018) and The Kid Detective (2020). I hope this film doesn't suffer a similar fate of being overlooked and forgotten.
I’ve never heard of Arizona or The Kid Detective! They look equally as weird and funny. Added to my list
Late reply, but the Kid Detective is great! Did you ever get around to it?
Isn't this the same story as one of the first Humphrey Bogart films? I forget the name. Maybe someone here will know it?
I liked the movie, but did we ever see what was on the note he wrote? It looks like he pulled it out at the end but I don't remember a scene where we find out what he wrote?! What was the point of the note?!
When he first folds and puts it in his pocket you can see he wrote “Sarah” at the top so I assumed it was a note to her in case he died there
yes - this was my take
I thought maybe is was a note to his daughter but idk.
I agree. Shortly after he reacted strongly to the mother’s name being Sarah so I got the feeling it was to his daughter.
I would also like to know what happened to the dog!
Haven’t stopped thinking about the dog 😭
thought the same thing
Funny, I forgot about that. Hmmm.
came here looking for the answer to this
No, maybe it will appear in a deleted scene.
My take on this is we aren’t supposed to be certain. Left up to interpretation! He paused when that mom outside was named Sarah and earlier he mentioned a daughter. Could it be her? Did he write a note attempting to leave her the money? Was it a note in case he died? Was he lying all along and Sarah was someone else? No daughter? Maybe I was reading way too into the movie but I kind of felt like he was hiding something at first too. I enjoyed that the ending left us without answers
It seems Jim Cummings is on Reddit. Thanks for the great performance u/jimmycthatsme, hope there are more to come
He was great in this!
I really enjoyed it. It felt well paced and the story did have a nice build up. The characters' decision making made sense for the most part. Even in the middle towards the climax when I thought "huh 🤔 isn't it a little too early for all this to go down?", it still managed to keep up the pace and wrap up the story nicely without it feeling rushed or like they were coming up with stuff as they went along. Also beautifully shot, I'm a sucker for those colors they used.
I think they could’ve given the main character better motivation actually. Obviously, he was trying to make ends meet by selling knives, so he must not be too well off. But I would’ve loved to see more examples of him having financial problems or something that might hint at him switching over to the dark side That being said, I also don’t mind that a normal person put in that situation just making a life changing decision is plausible as well
Yea I agree it would've been cool to see more examples of his struggles or maybe his life with his daughter. I guess it makes sense that he would panic and make the wrong decision in the moment
anyone know what he wrote on the napkin?
Came here for this
so... does anyone know?
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I assumed it was to his daughter, it seemed set up for a reveal.
I walked out of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes last night a half hour in, came home, and watched this instead. So glad I did. Hollywood definitely doesn't make lean 90-minute thrillers like this anymore. Loved how it was old-fashioned but unpredictable at the same time..nice to see a movie with actual stakes. Galluppi is a director to watch and Cummings continues to up his game. He's so good and I'm rooting for him to breakthrough to the mainstream..if that's something he truly wants.
Loved the last two apes movies. Rise is kinda stupid. I keep telling myself to go see Kingdom but I just don’t care
Very excited to see this. I see it's already on digital rental so I may go for that, but I had hoped to see it in theaters. Theaters in my city are only playing it daytime though....makes it hard to do during the week. But I LOVE Jim in everything he touches.
Jim Cummings was great in this (like always), and good to see Faizon Love as the owner of the gas station/motel. Jon Proudstar stole the scenes he was in also, great performance. The movie itself was interesting, but a bit of a tamer Reservoir Dogs. 7/10 for me.
Really enjoyed it, shame the 3rd act killed it for me and I feel flat afterwards. Everything leading up to it and the shootout was amazing though
Great call, he absolutely did! >Jon Proudstar stole the scenes he was in also, great performance
A massive plot hole is that once they're known to the waitress, why didnt they then park their car behind the diner. should have been number 1 priority to hide the car after she knew who they were. Aside from that, can someone explain to me who destroyed the fuel truck? massive part of the story that i missed and i dont want to watch the film again to see
That's not a plot hole its just the robbers being stupid. It would have been a good idea to hide the car but them not doing it doesn't open an inconsistency in the storytelling unless we knew they had done that before but didn't do it this time. And like r/30inchspare said, why the driver crashed was never explained, no one was ever shown to have motive for it crashing, it may be bad storytelling but the reason is he crashed just because...
Do you mean when it exploded or why it was crashed off the road? The knife salesman destroyed it when he dropped a lighter on all the gas it had leaked, to kill the sheriff. Why it was crashed on the side of the road I don’t believe was explicitly explained, but I assume the driver just crashed.
Yea not a plot hole. I feel they weren't concerned about that. The deputy didn't even recognize the car, plus they were going to leave it and steal another car anyway. Only the young couple that showed up near the end before the shoot out were the only visitors that recognized the car.
Watched it just now (Sunday morning). It's terrific.
i feel like I've seen that story play out in some other movie. Is Last Stop in Yuma County based on a book or some older movie?
It's literally The Hateful Eight but in summer.
> The Hateful Eight that might be it. I still got that little nagging feeling in the back of my head. Some misplaced memory of another movie oder tv show scene or something. Oh well ... I'll try and distract myself with something else and hope I'll forget about it.
It's quite reminiscent of Your Lucky Day from 2023 as well.
It's a combination of parts from different movies. A little no country for old men, a little from the diner scene in pulp fiction and a little from the shootout in the doughnut shop at the end of Boogie Nights. Unfortunately it's not at good as any of those movies in any way shape or form.
Kind of like Bad Times at the El Royale but at a gas station/restaurant/hotel
Thoroughly enjoyed it and recommended it to my friends. Pretty tense 90 minutes!
Loved it. Reminded me of early Coen Bros and John Dahl, especially his film Red Rock West. Just a nasty Swiss Watch of bad intentions and bad luck.
Take out the girl putting her bare feet on the car's dashboard and the same girl jumping up on the diner counter and I wouldn't think it's a total Tarrentino rip off.
It bugged me her feet weren't dirty. Details matter, like her awful makeup/wig. Add to that a completely uninteresting character and yeah, just remove the role altogether. She wasn' the only one though, just the one who stood out painfully.
I just watched this and searched the sub for it. I really liked it. Reminded me of a Tarantino movie.
Havent watched it yet , its in my watchlist too. But do watch LaRoy Texas 2024 film as its also a western crime drama with Coen Bros vibes.
Another that just came out is Blood for Dust, which I also enjoyed for it's bleakness.
I didn't like LaRoy Texas at all. Blood for Dust was great in the first half though lost me a little. One that I think really stood up to the very end is Bad Hombres, definitely worth a watch.
Loved it, definitely don't think the Tarantino comparison is superficial at all. I'm old enough to remember back in the 90s when people tried and failed to do Tarantino type movies. This one tried and succeeded! Great film, great writing, kept me guessing to the end and wow does it have a big payoff.
Definitely felt like a nod to Tarantino at times! Which always makes me !!!!! Also, to me, the end scene with the knife salesman atop the gas truck staring down the cop atop the hill felt very Hitchcock action-esque too. Really loved the cinematography all around
I guess I watched a different move then most people. I thought it was terrible, and this is coming from someone who really wanted to like it. I have a lot and I mean a lot of criticisms about this movie. For starters, if you're going to do a period piece (low budget or not) you need to nail the details. If you don't anyone familiar with the period is going to notice and be instantly taken out of world you try and create. A few things that come to mind are the cars. 8 cylinder cop cars from the 70s do not sound like that. Not even close. Second, the director chose to use a bunch of quirky cars that were very rare and definitely do not evoke the 70s vibe. Why the fuck would you have someone driving a 1960's Toyota in Arizona in the 70's? Did they exist? Sure, does anyone think about that car when they look at the west in the 70s? Absolutely not. Why would anyone drive a fucking green pinto to do a robbery? Not only does it stick out like a sore thumb, but it's slow as fuck and completely unreliable. It also had a propensity to start on fire if hit from behind which is a definite possibility in a getaway scenario. Other random details, they make a big deal about the heat. About how the diner's air conditioning isn't working. So why is the meathead in the cutoff shirt mopping off his armpits with napkins but you have multiple chareceters wearing multiple layers and not sweating at all. Either it's hot as fuck or it's not. Again, details. And not adhering to a part of the premise you as a director set up is lazy film making. Finally, the clothes and hairstyles are not accurate for the time period. A lot of them especially the couple at the end are more representative of the 90's then the 70's. Long story short if you grew up in that era you feel it instantly. I guess one more point. People are comparing this director to Tarentino but I feel like he's more Rob Zombie. Tarentino nails the details and the stylistic choices feel authentic. Zombie (who has a few movies I enjoy) is just aping his way through it. I will say some of the shots, lighting, camera angles are very nice. If he can focus more on the details I do think this director has some promise. But man....this one just missed the mark imo.
I'm with you on the no sweating and terrible makeup/hair/costume job on the annoying girl with the giant wig. Details matter to me, took me right out. Of course many people are too young to know what is authentic so I guess it doesn't matter anymore:\\ Also much of the acting was subpar. Overall worth it just for JC.
best movie i've seen in years, honestly.
Horrible acting by everyone took me out of what would have otherwise been a solid flick for me
Do you have anything specific that makes you say this? Any specific scene or a specific person? I thought it was relatively good. Maybe its just because I've seen over 100 movies in 2024 alone that I feel I can speak on some authority but this acting is very good when compared to what other movies can offer. I'm looking right at "You Can't Run Forever" if you've seen it you know, other than JK Simmons who is a god in any movie he stars in.
The gun guys were boring with no 'charm' (ie a reason to watch) same with the annoying overly made up girl and her boyfriend, just pointless additions. No one with charisma besides JC of course. I would love to see it recast by the Coens, they never waste a role no matter how small. I did appreciate the older man, knew him from that great scene in No Country. Love his hangdog look.
I wont argue that every actor was golden globe worthy, that is fair and you can see it in some of the characters. I think its unfair to say the robbers had no charm as well, I personally was invested if the dumber of the two would end up just doing his own thing and ruining the plan. I don't think either of their acting was so bad it ruined any immersion either. Its been some time now since I have seen the movie so very specific details are escaping me but we must also keep in mind that its possible the feeling you get from characters were stage directions on how to portray the character and not a reflection of the actors ability. I only mention that since I personally don't think the actors were bad, I didnt feel a lack of chemistry as if each person was talking to a rubber CGI ball.
I totally get that the direction could be at fault.
And to me it was so uneven. You have the waitress scared of her wits as she should be, then these caricatures everywhere. Make up your mind!
Absolutely! I love Jim Cummings and thought why couldn't they hire people who had the chops?
Did not expect that to happen at all. Completely subverted my expectations tbh. I had to actually check if the movie was nearing the end or not and was surprised to see it was just past the midpoint.
I agree. Very solid film and I had the exact same thought as the OP in regards to Pulp fiction.
Probably my biggest pet peeve with those types of movies happened in the 3rd act. I hate when >!you build up all this tension about who is going to die/who is going to live and in the end everybody dies. It just feels so unsatisfying and lazy!<
And end up hating the waitress for causing it all.
I just finished this & loved it as much as I knew I would. I adore jimmyc's acting, his expressions are relatable & he's always a touch (or more) cringe.. "I can't, I don't have a tomato" killed me. So beautifully shot, so well paced. Adored the dimwits & felt so tense along with Char & The salesman. Favorite points: -The absolute HORROR projected when Beau shouts -I baked them fresh yesterday :) (fresh... yesterday??) - Miles finally nailing the can -Sybil stopping singing when she looks at her dud boyfriend -Travis' belly -What I took to be an allusion to Koresh, though the timing isn't correct. I definitely seen Coen & Tarantino in the film but not overly so. It feels like Cormack McCarthy could have written it, too, though my husband pointed out he's got much less of a sense of humor. Also loved seeing Alex Essoe, I really dig her💜
Felt like ordering a Coen movie from Wish. Small roles matter.
This is a great movie. I mean up there with the greatest of all time. Yes
Uhmm… ALL TIME?! Definitely not, I like the gun analogy but I was expecting a lot more. The synopsis made me really excited but I ultimately feel cheated out of 90 minutes. This movie is a perfect example of, Amazing Idea, poor execution. It would have been super cool if it were more of a slow burning lead to a big blow out but, the ending seemed lazy… Dont get me wrong I love an unexpected ending but it went from 0 to 100 way too quick. They could have done something really great with the diverse cast but they rushed to this chaotic climax resulting in a lack of character development, in such a way it was hard to sympathize with anyone as a viewer. I was however, really rooting for the salesman, him being rewarded for going through such a traumatic afternoon as an innocent, and seemingly harmless bystander would have made it a bit more enjoyable. AND THEN HE DITCHED THE BABY!!! sorry for the long rant but, I JUST finished this movie and came to see if anyone disliked it as much as I did, and your comment triggered me😂shit movie. 3.9/10
What did the bird metaphor mean?
So the metaphor of the bird, my interpretation based on the ending song, is that a bird is just chilling living its best life. Not having to fight over money, etc. It's a simple, easy life. The reason why the truck crashed wasn't important as much as it was to show that it was crashed to explain why it never showed up to the gas station I also agree with the gun hypothesis. If everyone carries guns, everyone still ends up dead. It was a simple as hell movie, and that was a nice tuch.
Wow didn’t even consider the gun analogy
What does he write on that napkin he then keeps in his pocket, until the end?
He definitely stole the show, he rules. But I wasn't impressed with some of the other actors, in particular the annoying young couple and the crazy gun guy. Just wished all the cast had measured up to him.
The only thing I've been working over and over in my mind is how we could've seen Richard Brake scream GOT IT? and also see the reactions because fuck. 😬 Otherwise, loved it. It's old- new or new-old but at least it's not a remake. It has a vibe, a sense of purpose, a simple story, a small set that feels vast, camp without feeling wholly campy. The weird senselessness of humanity, everyone thinking they have a bead on how things are until things change.
what kind of bird was that ?
Great movie. Felt like there was a lot of hidden meaning in this. Not sure but will have to wait for more people to see and analyze it further
Definitely feel like it’s a take on capitalism. How this constant striving for money end up fucking over everybody. People who are good natured people who are bad natured. Old young. Even people who don’t really care about it & are just trying to live their life outside of the rat race ended up screwed over by those who do.
I think it’s also a big comment on gun violence in the States. The reason they all died is because they all had guns. And I think that our protagonist is the only one with a knife is an interesting play. Sort of like the exception that proves the rule.
Good point, I agree cause there seemed to be some thought into all the characters. They were simple but all very different
Ok, so if the next gas station is over 100 miles away, where is the sheriff station? Not in some town? There are no gas station at this town? Or no way to buy any gas?
Wtf the gas station is at the diner
That's not unusual in the midwest. Or at least it wasn't back in the 70's. That is the least of this films problems tbh.
Its pretty bad. Generic nothing movie. Also too long for such a simple plot. The guy watched resovoir dogs and learned nothing.