Frailty **** (2001, Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powers Boothe, Matthew O’Leary, Jeremy Sumpter) – Classic Movie Review 1195

Director Bill Paxton’s twisty, sweaty-palm 2001 psychological horror thriller Frailty is extraordinary. Matthew McConaughey stars as Fenton Meiks, who walks into the Dallas, Texas, office of FBI agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe) one night and announces that he knows the identity of the Texas God’s Hand serial killer the FBI are hunting. He claims that his brother, Adam, killed many people and then topped himself.

With its disturbing ideas, mad mood and perfect payoff, this scalding, scary, provocative, black-as-pitch thriller is beautifully directed (in his debut) by Paxton, who also plays dad extremely chillingly in the extended flashback sequences. The fanatically religious father believes that he has been commanded by God to kill demons and the unsettling plot concerns the strange relationship between him and his two young sons.

This real scare ride offers plenty of crazy Deep South atmosphere, taut suspense and tension throughout to keep you riveted. Perfectly cast Paxton and McConaughey excel themselves, while Matthew O’Leary and Jeremy Sumpter do sterling work as the young Fenton and Adam in the flashbacks.

Also in the cast are Luke Askew, Derk Cheetwood, Missy Crider, Alan Davidson, Cynthia Ettinger, Vincent Chase, Edmond Scott Ratliff, Rebecca Tilney and Gwen McGee.

It is written by Brent Hanley, who comes from Dallas, Texas. Frailty is his only feature work up to 2019. Paxton’s 2005 follow-up film The Greatest Game Ever Played made less of an impact but in February 2014 came the news that his next job as director will reunite him with Hanley for The Bottoms, based on the book by Joe R Lansdale.

Set in East Texas, the story follows a family who stumble across the body of a black woman savagely mutilated and left to die in the bottom of the Sabine River. The townsfolk cover up the crime until the body of a white woman is found. Filming was set to begin later in 2014.

Sadly it was not to be. Bill Paxton died on 25 February 2017, in Los Angeles, from complications after heart surgery, aged 61.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1195

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