Small town crime neo-noir strikes again, this time in a way that feels fresher. A lot of people are praising "Blow the Man Down" for invoking a "Fargo" feel which I agree it does, the spirit is there, in the form of the story and what's happening to characters, ordinary and mysterious alike. Led by a strong mostly female cast, "Blow the Man Down" is an engaging ride into the neat world of a small coastal town and the unravelment of its shadier side.
Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth (Morgan Saylor) Connolys are dealing with the death and funeral of their mother and the next couple days will be a storm distress not only for them but for the whole town. A murder happens, and the rest is up to You to see. Did I mention that the town is run by a bunch of old women? There's enough fun to be had with the secrets and antics of this small port town, script provides until the very end. Directors and writers Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy are walking a fine line of using familiar genre tropes and tweaking them just enough to allow some necessary freshness while never doing an overkill at it. The structure's not flawless and pacing suffers at moments, but not at a big cost. The two young leads, together with a veteran supporting cast does a great job in the acting department, with the highlight performances being brought on by Sophie Lowe and Margo Martindale in the more villainous role. If the story and characters aren't enough yet, there's also decent cinematography - the indie, low-budget kind, but one that colors the chilly atmosphere, which is further filled with mood setting creative solutions in the music department.
I say blow him down, I'm excited to see what these filmmakers bring on next, and always down for just about anything that fits the bill of a small town crime / neo-noir / americana / rural shenanigans themes in the crime genre. "Blow the Man Down" should please the like-minded. My rating: 7/10.
Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth (Morgan Saylor) Connolys are dealing with the death and funeral of their mother and the next couple days will be a storm distress not only for them but for the whole town. A murder happens, and the rest is up to You to see. Did I mention that the town is run by a bunch of old women? There's enough fun to be had with the secrets and antics of this small port town, script provides until the very end. Directors and writers Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy are walking a fine line of using familiar genre tropes and tweaking them just enough to allow some necessary freshness while never doing an overkill at it. The structure's not flawless and pacing suffers at moments, but not at a big cost. The two young leads, together with a veteran supporting cast does a great job in the acting department, with the highlight performances being brought on by Sophie Lowe and Margo Martindale in the more villainous role. If the story and characters aren't enough yet, there's also decent cinematography - the indie, low-budget kind, but one that colors the chilly atmosphere, which is further filled with mood setting creative solutions in the music department.
I say blow him down, I'm excited to see what these filmmakers bring on next, and always down for just about anything that fits the bill of a small town crime / neo-noir / americana / rural shenanigans themes in the crime genre. "Blow the Man Down" should please the like-minded. My rating: 7/10.