THE PLOT THUS FAR
In a rural Appalachian community haunted by the legacy of a Civil War massacre, a rebellious young man struggles to escape the violence that would bind him to the past.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“The World Made Straight” is a film about redneck drug dealers trying to escape the world in which they live. The film is based on a lackluster book that the rest of the world has seem to have forgotten. Hell, it took two viewings before I realized that I had read the book before the film. I get that certain lands are tied to destiny, but there is never anything at play that provides resonance. People die in futile areas all the time and it happens all over America. We need to know why that matters.
Appalachia is portrayed so strangely on film and TV. It’s almost as though the outside world feels that everyone in the area is obsessed with local history to a near autistic level. While the local Civil War history serves more as a plot point, it’s forgotten almost as soon as it is brought up. I can’t even begin to piece together why that angers me so much. I had such strong hopes for the film upon announcement that it makes the entire affair that much sour for me. That being said, Haley Joel Osment continues this later years attempt at becoming a character actor. I like what I’m seeing and I’m hoping that Osment keeps it up through his adult years. The dude has chops.
The Blu-Ray comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is pretty strong for an indie flick. The 1080p transfer holds up across the board without really popping. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track keeps all channels open and smooth. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the curious.
RELEASE DATE: 02/17/2015