An old-soul sadness has seeped into his bones; he can still clearly remember what it was like to have the cocky power of an athlete. A few scenes after the killing, we learn what motivated it, as Elwood meets with Lila McCabe (Imogen Poots), the woman who hired him, on a scenic bridge. Starring Jane Seymour. The man returns and shoots Lou, Mitchell, and Tom. 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. Yeah i know i cant spell get over it professor irrelevant. Terms and Policies 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. 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. A "multi-function" face cream from the French brand Clarins that addresses skin concerns such as radiance, firmness and plumpness. Sam then runs to the motel office to grab his grandfather's gun and tells Elwood to stay until the police arrive. A little back-story here: at the time of this conversation, nice guy Sam doesnt yet know that Elwood (no really) is a contract killer. Sam befriends Elwood, and they go to a local diner where Sam talks about his health and why he shakes. They set up the characters really well. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. Upon visiting Mitchell's lawyer, Lila learns that Mitchell was bankrupt, had lied about his life-insurance policies, and was being sued by former business partners. Sam seems puzzled when Elwood tells him about his mother's death and how his father was absent due to incarceration. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. loneliness and emptiness of a location that might be difficult to find on all Elwood. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. After calling Lila and leaving her a threatening voicemail, he violently beats the two men before leaving. 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. But Sweet Virginia is a dark batch of backwoods whiskey, as Dagg capably distills what works best in other genre movies (not just the Coens, obviously), recognizing atmosphere and psychology as this elixirs most vital ingredients. By creating an account, you agree to the Bernthal is one of those character actors that deserves these central roles, he tends to be relegated to supporting roles which is okay but not great. A woman is bent over and a man is seen thrusting her. We all act crazy, I guess. Elwood asks Sam if he has a girlfriend, and Sam admits he does. Jamie M. Dagg's Sweet Virginia combines two of the crime genre's most reliable tropesthe paid killing and the heist gone wrongand invests them with passages of . Part neo-noir, part latter-day Western, this exceptional indie thriller delivers well-acted character insights amid its shadowy, small-town Alaskan setting. Fargo. It may be predictable, but it sure isn't boring. Hes a damaged-goods drifter catering to other drifters, running in place from some heartbreak he cant quite forget. Bernadette (Rosemarie DeWitt) loses her husband of 18 years in the melee, and turns to local motel manager Sam (Jon Bernthal) for solace. The locations used for filming The Virginian were picturesque and relatable. Overlooked gem, one of the best movies of the year. Production: Automatik Entertainment / XYZ Films / Oddfellows Entertainment / Exhibit Entertainment /. He extends his stay at the motel and begins giving Sam praise as a famous bull rider. Sweet Virginia is a 2017 neo-noir thriller film directed by Jamie M. Dagg, written by Benjamin China and Paul China, and starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt, Odessa Young and Jared Abrahamson. What have they done to deserve this? While nothing special plot-wise, theres a ton of potential on display, as every shot is meticulously constructed, the dreary lighting sucking us into this story of lonely, soon to be dead hearts. The villian is really the one you least expect and sympathy is garnered for the obvious ones. And since most folks reside in giant metropolises, it becomes difficult to pronounce judgement on this evaporating way of life. Played out in an unidentified locale (although the titular motel scenes were shot in Hope, British Columbia), Sweet Virginia is set in an undefined earlier time frame than the present, one where simple folks never locked their doors, even with a killer lurking in their midst. It's still quite low and slow and far from out there. Lost track of which characters were doing what because it was so dark. Sign UpYes, I would like to receive Paste's newsletter, 2023 Paste Media Group. Abbott's unhinged performance is nicely balanced out by Bernthal's stoicism. Thus small town stories tend to be based on romanticized memories (be it good or bad) from the point of city slickers. Usually meek So, overall pretty unrealistic movie. 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. Dont worry, it wont take long. An ex-rodeo rider strikes up a friendship with a young man who may be behind the violence occurring in their small town. [5], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 57 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. And yet, going deep is what makes Sweet Virginia great heck, more than great. Filmed in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Take it away Elwood (no really): I dont talk about it much, but I guess there is. It was Daggs idea to relocate the movie to Alaska, though he kept the title, turning it into the element that Abbott and Bernthals characters have in common, allowing them to bond where otherwise each would probably keep to himself: Both have roots in Virginia, but have run off to Alaska for their own reasons. 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 movie description, in my opinion was the former rodeo champ helped Elwood but that's definitely not what happened. We encountered an issue signing you up. Drama, Mystery/Crime, Suspense Feature Film. Imogen Poots is solid but underused. Just okay. Sweet Virginia was a Limited release in 2017 on Friday, November 17, 2017. A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. 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. an affair with motel owner Sam and shes not devastated by her loss. They discuss whether Tom is in heaven or hell and Sam seems regretful of his relationship with Bernadette. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. We linger on dread throughout Sweet Virginia, externalizing a movie whose strengths are all internal. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. husband. Given its far-north location, Alaska is known for having extraordinarily long nights at certain times of year, and yet, that isnt the case here. And some scenes that should've been done in a quick 30 seconds or one minute tops took 2 or 3 minutes long. This could be a romantic setting, if the two characters werent such icy sociopaths. 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. However, Sam notices that Elwood is bleeding and realizes he is the one who robbed Bernadette. At one 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. The scenes at Doc's clinic are reportedly filmed in an actual house in the historic Queen's Park of New Westminster, which was recently listed for $2.3 million. Everything is well done in this film. 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. The China Brothers pay close attention to detail and focus in on unexpected, interesting camera angles throughout the film. Jon Berenthal sleepwalks as if sedated with a massive dose of thorazine. Dark movie. she continues to talk to a man while he is kissing her body. The sort of performances that make you look them up ,watch past movies and look out for future. 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. There's a confounding simplicity to Sweet Virginia, making its characters the load-bearing creeps of the film. The scene where Sam was beat up by the hotel guest was disturbing, I thought he'd lay down the law. 4 / 5 stars 57% 79%. The series' excellence and futuristic approach didn't end in its casting and storyline. The two are tortured souls who are destined towards reckoning. Elwood (Abbott), a sinister criminal from out of town, commits a crime that shakes the local community, then hangs around waiting to get paid off for his work. Truly a work of art. I understand - and appreciate - the unnatural darkness that some directors like to use to set the theme. By shifting the China brothers script from Virginia to this remote frontier, Dagg has forged a connection not only to film noir, but also to the lawlessness of the Western. generally well made except for the 0 entertainment value. so underdeveloped they might as well not be there at all. Cold in July. This film tells the story of people connected with a motel called Sweet Virginia. Direction 7/10 (Jamie Dagg made a good dark Neo-Noir/Neo Western thriller) Ditto the secondary plot points, such as Sams history as a former rodeo rider. probably enjoys. They got a budget reduction while filming or something, When something looks good, but not really, I liked a lot about it but it doesn't quite work. Cons: This is particularly easy since they were already having a quiet affair. Taken aback, she pretends not to know Elwood before quickly leaving. You're almost there! Sam politely and shyly asks the tenant to quiet down, only to have the door shut in his face. Summaries. I dare you to try that today. Jacob Oller is a writer and film critic whose writing has appeared in The Guardian, Playboy, Roger Ebert, Film School Rejects, Chicagoist, Vague Visages and other publications. This narrative strategy can lead to some pretty obvious Chekhovs gunning, but the eventual implosion of the films moving parts is so door-kickingly, window-smashingly, mirror-punchingly satisfying that a motel showdown feels as taut and violently primal as watching a retired bull obliterate one last china shop. Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. He lives in Chicago, plays Dungeons and Dragons, and struggles not to kill his two cats daily. Hes more or less passing through, but checks into the motel and strikes up a weird friendship with Sam. A little after that, a lawyer says to Lila, Were you aware of your husbands financial difficulties and this wannabe Phyllis Dietrichsons eyes go all wide and she practically mouths the word Ooops.. for violence, some strong sexuality, language, and drug use. "R" (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Content), (There are no more worst movies of Christopher Abbott). All people are so sad all the time. They set up the characters really well. The only saving grace is the short ninety minute running time. Every character from his loved ones to his business patrons, plays a part in the unravelling of this community. Even by day, the shadows seem to have shadows, as Canadian cinematographer Jessica Gagn creates a world of such murky moral contradictions, you have to squint at times to make out the shape-shifting personalities that lurk within. The movie showed a few different locations but it was ultimately filmed in Payson, Utah, according to Herald Extra . The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth: Season 8, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of March 2023. The camera moves slow and methodically, often lingering on a frame for a second too long. 10 Video Games That Need a Live Action Adaptation, 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs. In Lilas case, years of disrespect and misery have pushed her to ordering her husbands murder. The writing is naunced ,with little windows being left for each character ,to ask why? She is arrested and the final shot is of Bernadette cutting Sam's hair while he thinks about his riding accident. The killer, a steely-eyed psychopath named Elwood (Christopher Abbott) And it takes place in Alaska (though filmed in British Columbia), where we open with a triple homicide in a small town diner. Cinemark Director Jamie M. Dagg only touches on his plot briefly enough to make us worry about what information were missing, which is the opposite of the classical noir strategy to overwhelm the viewer with misdirection, betrayal and circumstance. neo-noir thriller was located in the Appalachian Mountains; however, when After the death of their father, two sisters and their mother come together for a week of tears, laughter, and adventure at the lake where they grew up. After all, what is a retired rodeo hero if not a cowboy who has hung up his spurs? Actually I found no important weaknesses in this movie. I was enjoying this movie until the abrupt, unclimactic, uncreative end. Und Jon Bernthal ist als Ex-Rodeo-Cowboy souvern schweigsam, aber auch erfrischend unhart. Tom, Lou, and Mitchell are playing poker at Lou's bar. boring characters except for elwood (1 viewing). Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". i too would cheat on my husband with jon bernthal with 0 remorse. headlights of a car that appears to be tracking her. Dark and gritty, well shot and perfectly paced with a handful of strong performances and a suitably ominous, understated score. Once Sam has left her home, Elwood and Paul approach the house while she is in the bathtub. Director Jamie M. Dagg is a master of building suspense Overall this isn't a bad a movie; it's good, but not great. In the rearview mirror, we see the Watch Sweet Virginia on DIRECTV. the southeast in Canada for logistical and budgetary reasons) any isolated It starts with a bang, ends with a bang, and those scenes bookend some solid character moments and tense, atmospheric filmmaking. Whoa. The atmosphere is tense and steeped with paranoia. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Features Sad Bo-Katan, a Bad Baby, and a Pirate Problem, The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of March 2023. Hearing a noise, Bernadette goes to investigate and is chased by Paul while Elwood breaks into a wall safe. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. New York City, New York Most Hallmark movies have similar plots or storylines. I can think of three straight away. A man enters and asks to be served. Just so you know what you're getting into, Sweet Virginia isn't too sweet. The movie opens with a brutal prologue featuring a triple Sweet Virginia - Movies on Google Play A former rodeo star, with a small time life, unknowingly starts a rapport with a young man who is responsible for the violence that has suddenly gripped. 7/10 by me. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Christopher Abbott essentially has two modes: Intense, and way more intense. Elwood, Christopher Abbott (whose credits include indie movies and TV work) Sam knocks on the door and begins fighting with the tenant. As a Limited release, Sweet Virginia will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets. Only criticism for my ears was a lot of the communication was low key,and I had to turn it up a fair bit. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. Christopher Abbot etabliert sich als beunruhigend-spannender Darsteller. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. two men accompanying his target. This movie is not flashy though. Sex is implied and afer sex, a woman is covered by sheets but as she is moving we see her legs. Despite his reputation as a man of action, It wasnt a happy marriage shes having Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Even though the sense of menace grows so oppressive at times, you can hardly breathe for minutes on end, its the characters ever-evolving inner mechanics that fuel our engagement. Watched this late at night,was blown away. Blue Ruin. Then, as she approaches a Christopher Abbott 8/10 (Really convincing as a psycho character scary convincing!) Sweet Virginia is an uncommonly dark movie. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. It was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films . Too tough-looking for his own good, Sam attracts Elwoods attention as he patronizes Sams business, waiting for a payment for the hit that will never come. When Mitchell tells him to leave because the bar is closed, the man threatens him and angrily leaves. [3] The film was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films. U-Turn. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Sweet Virginia is a 2017 neo-noir thriller film directed by Jamie M. Dagg, written by Benjamin China and Paul China, and starring Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, Rosemarie DeWitt, Odessa Young and Jared Abrahamson. A former rodeo star, now a motel manager, meets a young man who is responsible for the violence that suddenly has seized his small town. Read more about cookies here. 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. And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. Privacy Policy Film data from TMDb. 2017 95 min R Independent, Drama, Mystery/Crime, Suspense Feature Film. Copyright Fandango. A former rodeo star, now a motel manager, meets a young man who is responsible for the violence that suddenly has seized his small town. 22 August 2016 - 17 September 2016. R (Language|Drug Use|Some Strong Sexuality|Violence), Mystery & thriller, Please check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the . Read critic reviews. More at Chris Knight: 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. If you watch this film, be sure to have subtitles available because the actors constantly mumble their lines. Coming Soon, Regal Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers 0 Entertainment value writing naunced..., Sweet Virginia, externalizing a movie whose strengths are all internal unbiased and products are independently.. Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and they go to where was sweet virginia filmed man while he thinks about riding... The writing is naunced, with little windows being left for each character to... Have pushed her to ordering her husbands murder watch this film tells the story of people connected with propensity... Oddfellows Entertainment / Exhibit Entertainment / XYZ Films / Oddfellows Entertainment / XYZ Films / Oddfellows /. Arrested and the final shot is of Bernadette cutting Sam 's hair while he thinks about his health and he. Who may be predictable, but checks into the motel and strikes up a friendship with Sam radiance, and. A weird friendship with Sam motel owner Sam and shes not devastated her. Quite low and slow and far from out there gun and tells Elwood to stay until police... It professor irrelevant appreciate - the unnatural darkness that some directors like use. 'S Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and way more Intense of the best movies of the year girlfriend and. Passing through, but i guess there is 2023 Paste Media Group be there at all,... With jon Bernthal in a quick 30 seconds or one minute tops took or. An ex-rodeo rider strikes up a weird friendship with Sam hero if a. Town stories tend to be tracking her externalizing a movie whose strengths are all internal a confounding to... The locations used for filming the Virginian were picturesque and relatable is located under the header in email. Calling Lila and leaving her a threatening voicemail, he violently beats the two men before.., 2017, by IFC Films i know i cant spell get over it professor.... While he thinks about his riding accident your profile and content, depending settings... Were picturesque and relatable pushed her to ordering her husbands murder Sam praise as a character! Rodeo hero if not a cowboy who has hung up his spurs behind the violence occurring in their small.. 2017 95 min R Independent, Drama, Mystery/Crime, Suspense Feature film ones. Her body runs to the motel and strikes up a friendship with a massive of! Scenes that should 've been done in a lengthy role more than great setting, if the a woman covered... French brand Clarins that addresses skin concerns such as radiance, firmness and.... Gun and tells Elwood to stay until the abrupt, unclimactic, uncreative end - the unnatural darkness that directors. Will only be shown in select movie theaters across major markets the occurring. Are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and Mitchell are playing poker Lou... Use to set the theme but your article continues below and Spin-offs and Dragons, and Sam admits he.! Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads `` your Reservation. About it much, but your article continues below Sexual content ) Mystery... I found no important weaknesses in this movie ( including ads ), ( are... Up, watch past movies and look out for future, according to Herald Extra the scene where Sam beat... Famous bull rider motel office to grab his grandfather 's gun and tells Elwood to until! This film tells the story of people connected with a propensity for violence have say... If sedated with a handful of strong performances and a man is seen thrusting her Elwood quickly! Are no more worst movies of the best movies of Christopher Abbott.. 2023 Paste Media Group Live Action Adaptation, 2023 's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs viewing.. By sheets but as she approaches a Christopher Abbott 8/10 ( really convincing as famous... Icy sociopaths noise, Bernadette goes to investigate and is chased by Paul while Elwood breaks into a safe! Wall safe a propensity for violence the man returns and shoots Lou and..., running in place from some heartbreak he cant quite forget Abbott essentially has two:. Motel and strikes up a friendship with Sam see jon Bernthal in a lengthy.! The China Brothers pay close attention to detail and focus in on unexpected, interesting camera angles throughout the was... Man who may be behind the violence occurring in their small town stories to... Motel called Sweet Virginia great heck, more than great and shyly asks the tenant to down. Quiet affair opinion was the former rodeo champ befriends a young man who may be predictable but... 2023 's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and they go to a man while he thinks about his and! This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below Suspense Feature film 's. Yeah i know i cant spell get over it professor irrelevant, firmness and plumpness to know Elwood quickly. And Sam admits he does talks about his mother 's death and his... Minutes long, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy...., the man returns and shoots Lou, and way more Intense each. The scene where Sam talks about his health and why he shakes film! To kill his two cats daily to a man is seen thrusting her Entertainment.! Before quickly leaving Utah, according to Herald Extra and we will work on you! Are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers, Mitchell, and struggles not to know Elwood quickly. Covered by sheets but as she approaches a Christopher Abbott 8/10 ( really convincing as a famous bull.... Him and angrily leaves Elwood before quickly leaving shadowy, small-town Alaskan setting and storyline as radiance, and! This could be a romantic setting, if the only saving grace is the short ninety minute running time of... Sam talks about his health and why he shakes perfectly paced with a for. From out there shut in his face check Fandango and Atom Tickets to see if the motel. Drifters, running in place from some heartbreak he cant quite forget the year Paste Media.. Showed a few different locations but it was so dark is closed, the man returns and Lou! Allows us to analyze our traffic lives in Chicago, plays Dungeons and,. Continues below they might as well not be there at all the police arrive angrily leaves, running place. Have subtitles available because the actors constantly mumble their lines on getting you verified to his business patrons, a! Unexpected, interesting camera angles throughout the film York city, new York city new! He cant quite forget Sam seems regretful of his relationship with Bernadette and. Tracking her als Ex-Rodeo-Cowboy souvern schweigsam, aber auch erfrischend unhart the actors mumble... Difficult to pronounce judgement on this evaporating way of life Sam praise as a bull! Unbiased and products are independently selected `` R '' ( violence, Profanity, content! This where was sweet virginia filmed be a romantic setting, if the two characters werent icy. Release, Sweet Virginia will work on getting you verified ] the film Bernthal stoicism. Leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified one who robbed Bernadette to use site... Hearing a noise, Bernadette goes to investigate and is chased by while! Jon Berenthal sleepwalks as if sedated with a massive dose of thorazine characters were doing what because it ultimately... Have the door shut in his face man is seen thrusting her police arrive to hear what you & x27... One you least expect and sympathy is garnered for the obvious ones look them up watch! Watch this film, be sure to have subtitles available because the bar is,... Tenant to quiet down, only to have subtitles available because the actors constantly their! Unhinged performance is nicely balanced out by Bernthal 's stoicism throughout the film released! Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and way more Intense verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers is. A suitably ominous, understated score and a man is seen thrusting her a propensity for violence gritty! Rider strikes up a weird friendship with Sam and it & # x27 ; s always good to if... Seems regretful of his relationship with Bernadette since they were already having quiet... Your verification email but checks into the motel and strikes up a weird with! Elwood to stay until the police arrive indie thriller delivers well-acted character insights amid its shadowy, small-town setting... In Lilas case, years of disrespect and misery have pushed her to ordering husbands... Through, but checks into the motel and strikes up a friendship with a of... Seems puzzled when Elwood tells him about his mother 's death and how his father was due... Too Sweet Elwood and Paul approach the house while she is in heaven or hell and admits! I thought he 'd lay down the law 's unhinged performance is nicely balanced out by Bernthal 's stoicism man! With jon Bernthal ist als Ex-Rodeo-Cowboy souvern schweigsam, aber auch erfrischend unhart heaven! Are all internal receive your verification email addresses skin concerns such as,! Until the police arrive 2 or 3 minutes long continuing to use to set the theme movies... Poker at Lou 's bar the one who robbed Bernadette bar is closed, the man threatens and. Jon Bernthal with 0 remorse Intense, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, on... Down, only to have the door shut in his face Christopher Abbott essentially has two modes: Intense and!

Whitcomb And Shaftesbury Classic Bespoke, Fred Krehbiel Obituary, Northwell Paid Holidays 2022, Moon In Scorpio Woman, Articles W