THE PLOT THUS FAR
When a protective father meets a murderous ex-con, both need to deviate from the path they are on as they soon find themselves entangled in a downwards spiral of lies and violence while having to confront their own inner psyche.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Cold in July” is a film about the price of revenge. Jim Mickle takes us so casually back to the late 80s in the South that the chronology is almost never a thing. The Wranglers and hair are just dressing for a tale about two fathers dealing with their sons. Michael C. Hall ends up shooting a burglar whose dad gets released from prison shortly thereafter. Michael C. Hall has gone on to be a big hero for the Gun Rights folks, as he took the law into his own hands. Now, the burglar’s father is stalking Hall’s kid with the desire to put him in the ground.
I loved the original Lansdale novel, however the film offers up more meat for the supporting roles. Don Johnson takes Jim Bob to new levels, even though it feels like a riff on McConaughey’s work in Killer Joe. The film is way more tense than it is violent. But, I appreciate movies like this that can balance expectations with the realities of consequence. Director Jim Mickle has been interviewed about the film and called it the nightmare of living in an action movie. That’s such an amazing concept and I appreciate that we got to see this in the last year.
The Blu-Ray comes with commentaries, deleted scenes, early Pre Viz tests, isolated score and a trailer as the special features. The A/V Quality is sharp for an indie drama. The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track makes excellent work out of the limited gunplay. Plus, the 1080p transfer shines through the darkness. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!