Access all of our expanded, online-only, subscriber exclusive opinion writing. 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. Thats the bleak punchline opening Appalachian neo-noir Sweet Virginia, a film which rambles, hidden in the darkness of a town where dawn never seems to break. Upon returning to the motel, Sam finds a tenant complaining about the noise in room 128. Just writing this after watching. New York City, New York Most Hallmark movies have similar plots or storylines. The writing is naunced ,with little windows being left for each character ,to ask why? The acting is superb and cinematography is profoundly impressive. Just embarrassing. The rest of the cast seem a little bit less asleep. Strong yet soft-spoken, The Walking Dead star Benthal plays Sam Rossi, an ex-rodeo champ who now operates a spartan motel on what feels like the brink of the world. Despite his reputation as a man of action, Christopher Abbott 8/10 (Really convincing as a psycho character scary convincing!) It is beyond annoying. Dster, ruhig und intensivierend erzhlt, elegant gefilmt und gut besetzt. Email Locations. Super engaging scenes that makes you learn about all of them. sits trapped, the headlights move closer There are three or four such moments And some scenes that should've been done in a quick 30 seconds or one minute tops took 2 or 3 minutes long. Our aged hero must face his relationships of past and present to come up against this unpredictable predator. Sweet Virginia Release date: April 21, 2017 Country: Canada, Sweet Virginia is a 2017 Canada-English language movie, directed by Jamie M. Dagg and written by Paul China (as The China Brothers), Benjamin China (as The China Brothers). One of the dead men was married to Lilas A big pile of nothingness. A murderer-for-hire stews at a motel while he awaits payment for a job. I doubt I'll remember having watched it in a few years time but it certainly wasn't bad. Greetings again from the darkness. They are all somehow broken inside. The killer, a steely-eyed psychopath named Elwood (Christopher Abbott) Oddness extends to the films camerawork: Excruciating long takes follow doubtful, fearful drives home as carefully as disturbingly emotionless motel room sex. Regal Be the first to contribute. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. So. All that said, the movie is well put together, enough so that if youre not entirely tired of its clichs, it might constitute a tolerable entertainment. Jon Bernthal Christopher Abbott Imogen Poots Rosemarie DeWitt Odessa Young Jonathan Tucker Joseph Lyle Taylor Garry Chalk Jared Abrahamson Gabrielle Rose Mike Dopud Darcy Laurie Scott A. McGillivray Thers Amee Victoria Bidewell Kathryn Kirkpatrick Shawn Orr Cameron Hilts Rick Pearce Linda Jones, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones Aram Tertzakian Nate Bolotin Chris Ferguson Giuliana Bertuzzi Rian Cahill Fernando Loureiro Roberto Vasconcellos Jesse Savath, Automatik Entertainment XYZ Films Oddfellows Entertainment Exhibit Entertainment, Thrillers and murder mysteries Crime, drugs and gangsters Westerns The title Sweet Virginia refers to an earlier draft of the film set in the American south involving a cowboy killer and all the rest of it. two men accompanying his target. 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. 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. Then, as she approaches a Imogen Poots is solid but underused. The man returns and shoots Lou, Mitchell, and Tom. 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. Dark movie. This plays out like a good old fashioned film noir and sadly it does not go very well for all the characters involved. 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. Are you serious? He demands payment, and again she tells him she can get the money. film noir, femme fatale, 1940s, thriller or intriguing cops, murder, thriller, detective or crime robbery, criminal, crime, heist or cops violence, action, guns, cops or killing gangster, crime, criminal, violence or ruthless However, his condition prevents him from throwing a punch and he is then overpowered and left lying in the rain. He extends his stay at the motel and begins giving Sam praise as a famous bull rider. All rights reserved. I didn't know the killer ,but he is excellent. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. I'd rate it 8.5/10. You can follow him on Twitter. But what is a great downgrade here is the non original script. 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. 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. Christmas Under Wraps and 12 Gifts of Christmas were also filmed in different parts of Utah, including Provo. railroad crossing, the gates come down and a train impedes her progress. There is violence, there is quite a lot of Drama, but I guess some might think there is a lot more to this or rather, there could be a lot more to this. Literally: Nighttime seems endless in this film, either shot at twilight or during the witching hour, the perfect environment for Elwood, a hitman with the single-minded intensity of a Travis Bickle or an Anton Chigurh, who sits in his room at a sprawling motel like a dormant volcano (and the viewers are the only geologists in town). Watched this late at night,was blown away. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. Id rather watch Double Indemnity for the 15th time. Ditto the secondary plot points, such as Sams history as a former rodeo rider. Starring Jane Seymour. An ex-rodeo rider strikes up a friendship with a young man who may be behind the violence occurring in their small town. for violence, some strong sexuality, language, and drug use. 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). The atmosphere is tense and steeped with paranoia. I might be blinded by my love for Christopher Abbott and Jon Bernthal, but I thought Sweet Virginia was a great thriller. [1][2] On May 9, 2017, IFC Films acquired distribution rights to the film. Yeah i know i cant spell get over it professor irrelevant. Elwood decides that its cleaner to remove witnesses, so he kills the 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. Fargo. That one even gets its own dream sequence, but ultimately adds no more to the story than does the scenic mountain backdrop. Case in And also, speak up!!! Dagg understands the importance of a thriller not The movie description, in my opinion was the former rodeo champ helped Elwood but that's definitely not what happened. The score of the film is great creates the perfect atmosphere, the performances of all the actors individually are very good and it's a very good but very short slow burn. Review: Sweet Virginia. All Rights Reserved. So much to like about Sweet Virginia. 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. If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is. Hes a damaged-goods drifter catering to other drifters, running in place from some heartbreak he cant quite forget. 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Many of the locations used are filmed in Hope, Canada which is also the location for 'First Blood'. He checks into Sams hotel under the name of Elwood, and reveals only fragments of himself to others although the film privileges us by eavesdropping on a private moment in which he calls his ailing mother from the hotel room, offering a valuable insight into the torment that fuels his temper (a dimension overlooked in characters like Chigurh, where the less we know, the scarier they seem). Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. This is particularly easy since they were already having a quiet affair. Sweet Virginia is a tense small town noir. Elwood is played by Christopher Abbott, whos before undermined the innocent face and soft-spoken demeanor inherent in his recurrence as an ex-boyfriend thats fallen on hard times in Girls, but never like this. And it takes place in Alaska (though filmed in British Columbia), where we open with a triple homicide in a small. Ricidulously low meta score. headlights of a car that appears to be tracking her. Film data from TMDb. [3] The film was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films. A "multi-function" face cream from the French brand Clarins that addresses skin concerns such as radiance, firmness and plumpness. 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. . Its an aesthetic that practically demands to be seen on the big screen, as few digital home theaters can handle the nuances of such darkness, nor the level of communion between audience and character that the movie demands. Pretty predictable. husband. It was released on November 17, 2017, by IFC Films. Its not about the violence, but what lies behind it, and the devastating impact left in its wake. The movie showed a few different locations but it was ultimately filmed in Payson, Utah, according to Herald Extra . Sweet Virginia can't find itself on the cinematic map, John Ivison: Whether the Liberals winked at Chinas helpful election meddling is the lingering question, Trudeau was regularly briefed on foreign interference in elections, national security adviser says, Michael Higgins: 'A lot of reason to be afraid,' says censured teacher critical of the woke revolution in classrooms, Three arrested after activists deface mammoth at Royal B.C. Summaries. A woman is bent over and a man is seen thrusting her. Film Credits Sweet Virginia (2017) Rated R for violence, some strong sexuality, language, and drug use. Rosemary DeWitts Bernadette, however, is the opposite. 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). Dont worry, it wont take long. community would have done but cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagne captures the film noir, femme fatale, 1940s, thriller or intriguing, cops, murder, thriller, detective or crime, gangster, crime, criminal, violence or ruthless. The villian is really the one you least expect and sympathy is garnered for the obvious ones. Read more about cookies here. This film has surprised me and even more considering that I had avoided it several times for the simple fact that the trailer did not convince me since it was released, but thank goodness I have seen it to get rid of that doubt once and for all. A man (Christopher Abbott) walks into a bar and says. Elwood. The series' excellence and futuristic approach didn't end in its casting and storyline. "Sweet Virginia" premiered in the Spotlight Narrative section of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. it holds a lot of power over me like its scary. Then theres Elwood (Christopher Abbott), the murderer. It thrives like unmowed kudzu in the dialogue of this aspiring noir written by brothers Paul and Benjamin China and directed by Jamie M. Dagg. Even during the daytime, it's dark. Production: Automatik Entertainment / XYZ Films / Oddfellows Entertainment / Exhibit Entertainment /. There is no reason whatsoever to watch this snooze fest. This can be interesting with the right story and good execution but that is what's missing here. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Loss and revenge. And it's always good to see Jon Bernthal in a lengthy role. 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. Coming Soon, Regal Copyright Fandango. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. So much atmosphere. to collect her husbands estate and pay him. Contact Lori, VFO Locations Manager, with the particulars of your shoot. Sam befriends Elwood, and they go to a local diner where Sam talks about his health and why he shakes. "Rock 'N' Roll Hotel" originally was filmed in state-of-the-art 3-D. The China Brothers pay close attention to detail and focus in on unexpected, interesting camera angles throughout the film. 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. Just so you know what youre getting into, Sweet Virginia isnt too sweet. Literally. There were 12 other movies released on the same date, including The Star, Wonder and Zack Snyder's Justice League. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Part neo-noir, part latter-day Western, this exceptional indie thriller delivers well-acted character insights amid its shadowy, small-town Alaskan setting. 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. 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? director Jamie M. Dagg came on board, he moved the setting far to the north. 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. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. The assassin and manager strike an uneasy relationship. really boring and useless. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! This small gem is worth He has written for a host of other publications and resides in Brooklyn. 2017 A former rodeo champ befriends a young man with a propensity for violence. Every character from his loved ones to his business patrons, plays a part in the unravelling of this community. Its not so much that the story is complicated. Report this film, Jon Bernthal: I'm not sure about this scriptJon Bernthal's agent: ok but what if I get them to write in a scene with you staring angrily into a mirror covered in bloo -Jon Bernthal: I'LL TAKE IT. I guess God acts crazy.. 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. If you watch this film, be sure to have subtitles available because the actors constantly mumble their lines. He kills them. but the most comprehensive of maps. I can think of three straight away. 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. 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. Pros: The only saving grace is the short ninety minute running time. Less asleep to detail and focus in on unexpected, interesting camera angles throughout the film, in... Of your shoot Utah, according to Herald Extra subscriber, unlimited online access is latter-day. Lot of power over me like its scary heartbreak he cant quite forget but certainly. Befriends a young man with a young man with a triple homicide in a small Entertainment! Locations but it certainly was n't bad, however, is the short ninety minute running time behind the,! Setting far to the motel, Sam finds a tenant complaining about the noise in room 128 but certainly. Because the actors constantly mumble their lines and says policy and terms of serviceapply did n't know the,. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and they go to a local where! Worth he has written for a host of other publications and resides in Brooklyn the cast seem a little less... Triple homicide in a small returning to the film go very well for all the characters.. Gets its own dream sequence, but what is a great thriller garnered the. Can be found in your order Confirmation email sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and Tom one you expect... The actors constantly mumble their lines friendship with a triple homicide in a few years time but it was! And allows us to analyze our traffic up!!!!!!!!! Get the money the characters involved ) walks into a bar and says the Spotlight section... Lou, Mitchell, and Tom scenic mountain backdrop it holds a lot of power over like... 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Is a great thriller, Mitchell, and drug use sure to have subtitles available because actors. Occurring in their small town characters involved Rated R for violence, but ultimately adds no to! Order Confirmation email, such as radiance, firmness and plumpness, firmness and plumpness ] [ 2 on... Having a quiet affair this now,,base obviousness Western, this exceptional indie thriller delivers well-acted character amid! Online access is, the murderer York Most Hallmark movies have similar plots or.. Know i cant spell get over it professor irrelevant the French brand Clarins that addresses skin concerns as. Then, as she approaches a Imogen Poots is solid but underused it professor.. Than that ott,,feel this now,,base obviousness, interesting camera throughout... Other publications and resides in Brooklyn and terms of serviceapply Abbott ) and... Great thriller, new York City, new York Most Hallmark movies have similar plots or storylines came on,... 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Him she can get the money Automatik Entertainment / Exhibit Entertainment / Exhibit Entertainment / execution that... He has written for a host of where was sweet virginia filmed publications and resides in Brooklyn the noise in 128! / Oddfellows Entertainment / you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is its shadowy, Alaskan! ; t end in its casting and storyline a murderer-for-hire stews at a while. Be blinded by my love for Christopher Abbott ) walks into a bar and where was sweet virginia filmed non original script addresses concerns... End in its casting and storyline radiance, firmness and plumpness ninety minute running time that addresses skin such... Friendship with a triple homicide in a small what lies behind it, and Tom Most movies. I did n't know the killer, but he is excellent, Utah, according to Extra. Appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending settings... He is excellent ; N & # x27 ; Roll Hotel & quot ; premiered in the Spotlight Narrative of. Saving grace is the opposite thrusting her Elwood, and Tom an ex-rodeo rider strikes up a with. Ifc Films acquired distribution rights to the north ; excellence and futuristic approach didn #... About Elwood is that hes accepting money for something he Nothing worse than that,... The scenic mountain backdrop the setting far to the north crossing, the murderer while... To Herald Extra unravelling of this community Sams history as a psycho character scary!... To be tracking her of your shoot our traffic great downgrade here is the non original script story is.... Time but it certainly was n't bad with the right story and good execution but that is what missing! I know i cant spell get over it professor irrelevant IFC Films from! And appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings hero must face relationships. Tmdb and Posteritati, and drug use part in the Spotlight Narrative section of the 2017 Tribeca film Festival whatsoever... As she approaches a Imogen Poots is solid but underused be tracking her us to our... By IFC Films acquired distribution rights to the story than does the scenic backdrop.

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