This movie is a little unexpected. It begins with a clean cut freshman college student from a prosperous family called Harper (Tye Sheridan) whose life is turned upside down by his mother slowly dying from a car accident that Harper feels was staged by his scheming step father who plans to usurp the family wealth and run off with a mistress. In a drunken moment of bravado, Harper meets a petty drug dealer Johnny (Emory Cohen) who offers his services to bump off the step father.
British director Christopher Smith takes this basic plot and teases the audience with two alternative story lines based on whether Harper carries through with the plan and each story is fascinating. Augmenting the cast is Johnny's pole dancing girlfriend Cherry (Bel Powley).
All three leads make this movie - Cohen does a brilliant job as a truly low life nasty piece of work and Sheridan, no stranger to intense roles and dark movies, plays a remarkably resilient and resourceful student further demonstrating his chops as an actor who can shine in various roles. Powley is the perfect co - star and the movie ends on a rather sweet and happier note.
British director Christopher Smith takes this basic plot and teases the audience with two alternative story lines based on whether Harper carries through with the plan and each story is fascinating. Augmenting the cast is Johnny's pole dancing girlfriend Cherry (Bel Powley).
All three leads make this movie - Cohen does a brilliant job as a truly low life nasty piece of work and Sheridan, no stranger to intense roles and dark movies, plays a remarkably resilient and resourceful student further demonstrating his chops as an actor who can shine in various roles. Powley is the perfect co - star and the movie ends on a rather sweet and happier note.