Blood for Dust *** (2023, Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington, Josh Lucas, Stephen Dorff, Ethan Suplee) – Classic Movie Review 12,993

Rod Blackhurst’s mean and moody 2023 American action crime thriller film Blood for Dust stars Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington and Josh Lucas in a dark and dangerous tale of drugs and guns.

Director Rod Blackhurst’s mean and moody 2023 American action crime thriller film Blood for Dust is written by David Ebeltoft, and stars Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington and Josh Lucas.

There is plenty of tension, talk, atmosphere and not too much action, but when it comes, it’s hard and fast, and violent, with the landscape littered with dead bodies.

Scoot McNairy stars as desperate, middle aged Cliff, who loses his job as a travelling salesman of defibrillators, and is forced to take up an offer from his reckless old colleague Ricky (Kit Harington) to run drugs and guns under his old salesman cover for a local gang run by mid-level cartel boss John (Josh Lucas). A simple drugs and firearms exchange turns into a bloodbath when Ricky kills everyone in a territory grab, double-crossing both the gang and the recipients of the shipment and stealing it. It turns out to be the first of the film’s two bloodbaths.

The script plays plenty of new notes on old themes, and the film comes up fresh and exciting, albeit grim, downbeat and nihilistic. But that’s exactly what’s needed here. David Ebeltoft writes imaginatively, with flavourful dialogue, and Rod Blackhurst directs stylishly, keeping up a high level of simmering menace: the threat of sudden violence and death is imminent throughout, until the pot explodes. The plot is very nicely worked out, with a satisfying back story that fleshes out the characters and motivations.

Scoot McNairy holds the centre strong and firm, looking wonderfully world-weary and pathetically put-upon, and English actor Kit Harington fits the bill surprisingly convincingly, seeming both American and crazy enough.

Justin Derry’s moody cinematography impresses highly, and Nick Bohun’s score hits the right eerie notes.

The cast are Scoot McNairy as Cliff, Nora Zehetner as Amy, Ethan Suplee as Slim, Amber Rose Mason as Rebecca, Stephen Dorff as Gus, Josh Lucas as John, and Kit Harington as Ricky.

It is written by David Ebeltoft, directed by Rod Blackhurst, and produced by Noah Lang, Ari Novak, Mark Fasano and Nathan Klingher.

It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023, had its European premiere at the Deauville American Film Festival in France on September 3, 2023, and was released by The Avenue on April 19, 2024 in the US. It won the Best Feature award at the 2023 San Diego International Film Festival.

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Cast: Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington, Josh Lucas, Stephen Dorff, Golden Garnick, Ethan Suplee, Megan Folsom, Scott McCauley, Gabriel Clark.

Duration: 98 minutes.

Country: US.

Production: Nickel City Pictures, Witchcraft Motion Picture Company, Studio507, JaiD7 Pictures, Buffalo 8, Good Wizard, BondIt Media Capital, Short Porch Pictures, Witchcraft Motion Picture Company.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,993

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