Little Dixie (2023) User Reviews

This Take Your Daughter to Work Day is getting ridiculous.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 5/10 · 6 February 2023]

I'm not sure what writer, director and producer John Swab was thinking trying to knock-off a bunch of "already done and much better films". Although flawed, I still enjoyed two of Swab's previous films, Body Brokers and Candy Land, because they had what this film severely lacked, originality.

Filmmakers are supposed to get better at their craft, not worse, and this over-indulgent cliched nonsense is a slap to Frank Grillo, who deserves much better than this. Grillo was stellar at his lead role in Boss Level, and deserves lead roles in great films, not this nonsense.

Swab decided to add every cliche with lots of filler and very little substance within his cringeworthy sub-plots, that took away from the story instead of adding to it. I admired Swab's style in Candy Land, but in this one, his writing and directing was lazy and rushed.

The first two acts were suspenseful, intriguing, and had great flow and continuity, but as soon as the third act started - at the drag queen karaoke bar, it went off the rails. It was just all plot holes and nonsense, that lost all credibility with its lack of creativity and originality.

It's too bad, because the cinematography was excellent, as was the score, and all casting and performances were on point. But all that isn't enough to say the slowly paced 105 min runtime was an engaging and entertaining ride throughout the entire film, only the first two-thirds of it. So it's only a 5/10 from me, but could've easily been a 7 or 8 had that third act been better.

That 70s feeling...

[A_Different_Drummer · 6/10 · 5 February 2023]

Grillo is one of those seasoned and proven performers (like Liam Neeson and Gerald Butler) who can take total control of an action flick with the same ease that Amazon can promise next day delivery. I am a fan, and in fact one of Grillo's performances is on my all time IMDb list of "best films" (see below). That said, the key to Little Dixie is understanding what films were like in the 70s. In that era, life was simpler. Only a few cable channels, no internet, no streaming, no cancel culture, and the Left and Right were not trying to kill each other. People went to theaters for raw escapism. Plot was not the issue. Action, adventure, movement was what was offered. Don't knock it. (Check out, for example, Charles Bronson in Hard Times, also on my list). If you want to revisit that genre of film, Little Dixie will be your cup of tea. Understanding this also explains why the mainstream critics are so skewed about this film -- it is all a matter of expectations. You get action, violence, a fairly predictable story, a happy ending, and hero who holds the screen. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Another good leading role with Frank Grillo

[dubond · 5/10 · 2 July 2023]

As a fan of both John Swab's work as a director so far and Frank Grillo I was looking forward to this. It didn't disappoint. Little Dixie is in the vein of things like Too Old To Die Young and Brawl In Cell Block 99 a slow paced methodical thriller that has you on the edge of your seat for the majority of the runtime.

As I said before I've been a fan of Frank Grillo for a while and if this was the 1980's I think he would be a huge star. He possesses all the qualities a movie star should have. Great looks, great actor and is charismatic and likable. Aside from having a leading role in two of The Purge movies Grillo has mostly been relegated to B movies where he's either criminally underused or completely wasted. With the exception being his collaborations with Joe Carnaghan in Boss Level and Copshop who knows Grillo is a skilled actor and charismatic and likable and puts him front and center and knows how to use him properly. Little Dixie proves that John Swab is the only other director Grillo has worked with so far that knows how to use him properly. He's front and center here and his name is the only one on the poster. Despite the cast containing some other recognizable names in Eric Dane and Annabeth Gish they don't overshadow Grillo or move him to the sidelines. Beau Knapp also gives a good performance here as the terrifying cartel member "Cuco".

One of the worst movies I've ever seen.

[westozcards-19877 · 1/10 · 6 March 2023]

I cannot believe there is anyone that could find a single redeeming thing about this movie.

It's absolute garbage from start to finish and will leave you shaking your head, questioning how on earth this got a green light to be produced.

I can only hope that the people that poured money into this lost the lot and it will deter them from putting out similar garbage in the future.

I was groaning in agony multiple times at how pathetic everything is. The acting, the dialogue, the plot, the only thing that could be said is that it's shot fairly well for what it is.

Oh yeah.. the drag queen karaoke... what a ghastly scene to randomly throw into this. Just awful all around.

Right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 1 March 2023]

The film opens with the execution of a cartel member, the brother of the kingpin. Governor Richard Jeffs (Eric Dane) takes a victory lap on TV and vows to take down the Prado cartel to the dismay of Doc Alexander (Frank Grillo) and Billie (Annabeth Gish). We discover that Billie funnels money into the governor's campaign from anonymous sources. One of those sources, unknown to the governor is the Prado cartel. Doc, former special ops man is the liaison between the cartel and Billie. They are not pleased. Our couple meets with the governor to let him know who is buttering his bread. Rather than back off, the governor goes after the cartel's warehouse. Cuco Prado (Beau Knapp) a fan of Drag Queen karaoke, kidnaps Doc's daughter (Sofia Bryant) and demands the head of the governor (also special ops) in return for his daughter.

There is a lot of killing out in the open. No one covers their tracks and no one gets caught. The film was rather boring, even the exciting and climatic scenes were toned down.

Guide: F-word. Unnamed extras nudity. Implied MM sex.

Generic action thriller...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 29 May 2023]

Now, I had actually not heard about this 2023 action thriller from writer and director John Swab prior to sitting down to watch it. But with it being an action thriller with Frank Grillo in the leading role, there was a certain expectation for it to hopefully be a fair enough movie.

The storyline in "Little Dixie" turned out to be watchable for what it was. However, it was a rather generic and somewhat predictable action thriller. So writer and director John Swab didn't exactly bring anything new to the genre, but instead opted to play it safe and utilize every single trobe of the how-to-make-an-action-thriller-guidebook. But hey, if you are a hardcore action thriller fan, then you will find some enjoyment here, of that I am sure.

The acting performances in "Little Dixie" were fair. You know what you get with Frank Grillo, and he did carry the movie adequately here, despite of not having much to work with really. It was also nice to see the likes of Peter Greene and Annabeth Gish on the cast list. I wonder what writer John Swab was thinking when he created the Raphael 'Cuco' Prado character, as it was the epitome and caricature of a Mexican gang member. And the way that actor Beau Knapp walked, talked and his entire body language was just an exaggerated caricature of something you would see in a gang related computer game. It was just difficult to take that character serious.

There was a fair amount of action in the movie, at least to keep the otherwise mediocre storyline afloat. And it was actually nicely enough executed action sequences.

All in all, then "Little Dixie" was suitable for a single viewing, though you're not in for anything grand. There simply isn't sufficient contents to the storyline to support more than a single viewing, however.

My rating of "Little Dixie" lands on a very bland five out of ten stars.

Good Entertaining Action Movie

[Jim_Screechy · 7/10 · 14 March 2023]

I'm not sure what some of the reviewers here are smoking, but this film is a typical example of why you can't always trust people to pass fair comment. Yes, there are some films that understandably create a palpable divide in opinion, but I don't think this is one of them.

Its a pretty solid thriller, action movie that I really enjoyed. True, the plot is not particularly original... more of a variation on a well worn theme, but the execution and production are pretty solid, and the performances are well delivered and worth some merit. Ok it's not going to be winning any Oscars, but as an entertainment action piece it holds its ground as well as any worth of the 7/10 I've awarded it.

Grillo is pretty gritty here, reminiscent of Mel Gibson's performance in "Parker" and does a great job with the material. Once again he's shown capability outside his more familiar casting type. Direction, pacing, screenplay... all round respectable and well... as I've said Solid. Not much to dissect here to be honest, so no point in giving a long winding review and labour the points I've already made.

Anyway, glad I watched it, and if this review helps you give it a fair shake and a watch, so be it. I just don't get reviewers with an axe to grind that help no one.

Stupid plot

[geuirav · 1/10 · 13 February 2023]

I really like Frank Grillo as an actor and this movie started out well. Cut to one of the first scenes where Grillo the damaged special ops operator kills around eight cops during a raid on the cartel he is negotiating with. Totally unnecessary and detrimental to the plot. Hardly sets him up to be the hero or even the anti-hero. Ridiculous way to preface the main plot as from that point on there was no one to cheer for in this movie. I was hard pressed not to turn it off and avoid watching the bad guy fight it out with the bad guys for the next hour. By the end I wish I did. Don't waste your time with this extremely poorly written piece of trash!

For what it's supposed to be it's pretty good.

[zack_gideon · 6/10 · 3 March 2023]

I would liken this film to a John Wick light movie. If you like that kind of plot, then it works. If you want character development, believability, incredible acting and some deep meaning then don't watch it.

If you like a well paced action movie with a high kill count and a decent plot that sticks to it then you will enjoy this movie.

It's made in a B movie vein where the score and kills and things like that are basic. It's entertaining and again if you like seeing bad guys get taken out at a high volume and some decent acting then you'll enjoy this movie.

Overall it's just a B action movie with a high kill count and some pretty good cinematography. So I enjoyed it as a light viewing experience. 6/10.

Who is this guy a relatvie of?

[suprchunk · 3/10 · 8 February 2023]

Why do we keep getting Frank Grillo movies? Who asked for this mediocre actor, who can barely move, to be an "action" star. This is just like every other movie with Frankie. Dull, phoned-in, little substance, no acting ability, and I presume, way over budget for what you get.

But, this movie is nothing new. There is nothing novel introduced here. It is the same as every other single action movie within the last 40 years; flashy. And that's all. There is no substance.

And, good lord, we have to sit through another bumbling attempt at reading lines by Frank Grillo. Stop already with Frank Grillo. He isn't an actor in any sense of the word except that people keep putting him in roles. He must be doing it for free.

There was an attempt by the rest of the cast though, so I won't rate it too low. They probably didn't know Frank was in it until it was already too late to back out. That is the only reason I see people working with him. See how they snuck him into the Avengers movie? I did too. That's why I think he's somebody's nephew.

I liked it

[colinardyer · 8/10 · 11 September 2023]

One of the bigger discrepancies from avg rating to mine (4.9 vs 8). I wanted simple straightforward action, it said it was simple straightforward action, it gave me simple straightforward action. I am satisfied.

Not a crazy plot, but a badass you can cheer for. It lives up to the trailer. I am surprised the people who gave it such a low rating watched it, it's not like it pretended to be one thing and showed you another.

Sometimes I like simple bad ass getting the bad guys. It didn't have a lot of lulls. It's right in line with what you think a Frank Grillo movie would be, a bad ass kicking ass.

Enjoy, have fun.

Only worth for frank Grillo

[warrior03 · 6/10 · 13 August 2023]

I mean it definitely deserves a 5 . For the basic screenplay and b grade budget. But for frank Grillo fine azz I amma have to bump it up 1 more and make it 6/10. His fine Azz is just aging like fine wine. Sad to see him getting old it's showing. Anyways coming to this boring movie it was Saturday night saw it as a new release again frank Grillo count me in I can watch his fine Azz on mute. Story garbage screenplay beyond garbage acting ugh no comment. B grade Espanola movie. Give it a miss unless you want a glimpse of frank Grillo fine ass ....worth a watch if ur a fan if not give it a miss trust me. Ur doing urself a favor.

Weak script and awkward woke elements

[ginocox-206-336968 · 3/10 · 17 March 2023]

Little Dixie (2023) is disappointing on several levels.

As an action movie fan, I'm generally willing to watch any film starring Frank Grillo, Michael Jai White, or Scott Adkins - three actors who are capable martial artists and credible actors, but who have generally been limited to low-budget films and minor roles in major productions. My favorite Grillo film is Boss Level.

Little Dixie is my least favorite Grillo film. It's a low-budget production. There are no car chases, pyrotechnics, elaborate CGI, or large crowd scenes, but production values are adequate to its modest ambitions. There are a few gaping holes in the plot, which can be ignored if one is willing to sit back and enjoy the ride. However, the script is weak. Much of the plot is predictable. Some characters are duplicitous, but largely one-dimensional with no appreciable character arcs. Dialogue is a bit on the nose and heavy on exposition.

Grillo's Doc is not a sympathetic character. He's some sort of facilitator who works with a Mexican drug cartel and corrupt U. S. politicians, but we don't see this work. He transforms effortlessly into a ruthless, coldly efficient, unstoppable killing machine, but we never see what Blake Snyder calls a save-the-cat scene, other than a symbolic action on a pier near the end of the film. In Assassins, Stallone's Rath grants a victim's request. The assassin in Babylon allows one of his assigned targets to flee the country. In Inglourious Basterds, Waltz's Landa allows Shosanna to escape. Doc doesn't have a moment of kindness. To the contrary, he seems unaffected by the extensive collateral damage he causes.

There is no love story, only Doc's affection for his daughter Nell, but there seems to be little genuine chemistry between the actors. Nell isn't an interesting character and her only potentially interesting action is off-screen.

Chekhov wrote, "If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off." Doc purchases several firearms which he never seems to use, although he does use the item that is given special significance.

A huge distraction in many recent films has been the filmmakers' insistence on wearing their wokeness on their sleeves, usually to the detriment of the film. This is particularly incongruous in actions films which are typically far removed from woke ideology, and often feature concealed automatic weapons, enhanced interrogation techniques, extrajudicial executions, illegal wiretaps, facial recognition, muscle cars, private jets, and other politically-incorrect environmentally-hostile elements.

Little Dixie inserts several woke elements which seem so awkward and incongruous that one wonders if the filmmakers weren't deliberately or subconsciously railing against woke mandates.

Genre fans would expect Doc's ex-wife to be a matureBond girl, or perhaps a duplicitous femme fatale, like the dental hygienist in Boss Level. That the filmmakers would try to fill their diversity quota by casting a black actress is not surprising, but instead of a Thandiwe Newton or Zoe Saldana, they cast a shrewish soccer mom who doesn't look the least bit like the daughter and has no positive energy with Doc.

Rather than the typical strip-club scene, we have a scene at a gay bar featuring a singing competition among cross-dressing contestants, which devolves into a truly cringeworthy bedroom scene that ends predictably badly.

A minor character is a lesbian, while two others seem to be homosexual males for no particular reason, other than diversity. As the villains are Mexican drug dealers, there are numerous Latinos. But Asians seem conspicuously absent.

There are only a couple of brief martial arts scenes. Doc is supposedly some sort of manipulator who masterminded a huge smuggling operation. But we don't see him planning, negotiating, using the skills he supposedly has. Instead, he is a very blunt instrument. Against the backdrop of a modest production, the woke virtue signaling is especially distracting.

Makes 80 minutes feel like 3 hours!

[sifudoyle · 1/10 · 13 August 2023]

One of the worst films ever made.

There is absolutely nothing redeemable in any character, nothing likeable, no one to cheer for, no one to worry about... basically you just want them to go away... and fast.

The premise tries so hard to be clever, but it ends up being like that annoying guy at a party who knows all the big words but the more he talks the more you realize he has no clue about the subject he's talking about.

Grillo must've needed to buy a boat or something and he figured this was quick cash.

Obviously they used Grillo's name to anchor the film, but its gonna sink him right to the bottom. I wouldn't be surprised if this film hurts his marketability because not only is the film terrible, Grillo just mails it in, so let's hope he did that boat out of the deal.

Avoid this film at all costs.

Didn't know it was possible to make Frank Grillo unlikeable

[twetestxbox · 3/10 · 18 November 2023]

Somewhere in this low-budget actioner is the kernel of a decent story. But it's buried deep and is suffocated by some bizarre direction and absurd writing choices.

There are plenty of films about killers and plenty about revenge or the need to do something at all costs to protect someone or something they care about, but all the best ones at least make an effort to portray the lead with some sort of redeeming feature. Frank Grillo, usually so watchable, is essentially just an amoral dirtbag. The moment he kills policemen and it's clear that he'll murder any innocent bystanders - which he does frequently - any reason to root for this guy is gone. He doesn't kill innocents because he's trying to save his daughter, he kills because he's a killer. But there's no real backstory about why he became this way so he just seems like a sadistic prick.

This guy even ends up turning his own daughter into a killer, and it's made clear by his ex-wife he's a terrible dad anyway.

There are some genuinely good performances in Little Dixie (a title that even when you understand why it's called that still makes little sense), which raises it marginally above other budget genre films like this. There's an attempt to add some quirk and coolness in places, that usually falls flat but a couple of times works extremely well. But it's still a bit derivative, like a film student who's been given a project to make an homage to a film that's an ode to Tarantino; it's two steps removed.

The corrupt politician unwittingly - or perhaps with plausible deniability - being in bed with a cartel that he decides to pursue too hard could have been something appealing, but it really serves no purpose other than to create a weird kidnap scenario and motivation for a lot of rather unimaginative killing.

Probably worth skipping. Must do better.

Little Dixie

[CinemaSerf · 5/10 · 28 November 2023]

I reckon Eric Dane might wish he had stayed on his last ship after his stint as Governor of Oklahoma here ends rather more abruptly than he might have expected at the hustings. He cannot resist a good old gloat when his administration sends the brother of a Mexican drug lord to the chair. The uneasy truce that has existed thus far is now ended, and his assistant "Billie" (Annabeth Gish) and her fixer - and his wartime CO - "Doc" (Frank Grillo) have tightropes to walk whilst "Miguel" (Maurice Compte) decides how best to exact revenge. That involves his sexually ambiguous and brutal brother "Cuco" (Beau Knapp) who decides, quite cleverly, that he will kidnap the daughter of "Doc" and force him to do their dirty work for them... What now ensues is just poor, sorry. It's like a video-shoot 'em up game with bodies falling all over the place and little if any jeopardy until the last few minutes when, even then, the ending has precious little by way of surprise. The plot itself is pretty preposterous and the acting does little to inject any real sense of menace to this procedural, repetitive and over-long training video for would-be ten year old assassins. I wouldn't bother if I were you.

A reasonably decent action flick.

[aban1980 · 7/10 · 11 February 2023]

Action as a genre has a disadvantage that there is nothing really left to show which the audience has not seen before. The plot is familiar, though it does not bother to elaborate on the sub-plots which in my opinion helps the movie. The editing is descent and none of the scenes are too long and the dialogues are kept at bare minimum doing justice to the genre. I could not find fault with the performance of Frank Grillo, given the character he is supposed to portray in the movie, which he does convincingly. It does not deserve a very low rating in my opinion. Definitely an enjoyable movie if one does not have too high expectations!

derivative B-movie

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 30 August 2023]

Governor Richard Jeffs (Eric Dane) does a victory lap after executing Mexican drug cartel underboss and then calls out drug boss Lalo Miguel Prado. Lalo sends his brother Cuco to reply. Former Special Forces operative Doc Alexander (Frank Grillo) is in the middle.

It's a B-movie with a derivative plot. The dialogue is stale. Frank Grillo does his hard-boiled Frank Grillo form of acting. There are many kills but limited thrills. It gets a bit boring. I don't really know nor care about these two dimensional cardboard cutout characters. I don't even care enough to figure out if the story makes sense.

This movie is great!

[circycle · 7/10 · 20 March 2023]

I disagree with the detractors of this film. Little Dixie is a movie that's entertaining and raises your heartbeat.

It's a rugged story: ex-elite soldier heads private security for a state governor. Campaign contributions come from the cartel and a kidnapping ensues... Frank Grillo is AWESOME in this. He shows nuance and intensity. We also get decent time with Annabeth Gish and Peter Greene. Greene delivers some fantastic dialogue as a wealthy, eccentric political player. And, Beau Knapp portrays a bonkers cartel villain with a mechanical ethic. He's cold, cunning, and has a demented sense of humor.

The pacing is steady and the tension ramps up well. There are some very dark scenes here, so be warned!

I also recommend Ida Red, a gritty thriller with guns and fringe elements also directed by John Swab. This movie is great! Solid acting, tension and pacing. Entertaining!

Unoriginal, Pointless And Lacking Anything Of Interest. Its Utter Boring Worthless Rubbish Of Mindless Violence!

[silicontourist · 1/10 · 9 June 2023]

I was really surprised, and disappointed, at Frank (Grullo) stooping so low by making a cash cow film; it had to have been for the money! When you compare this to his film, 'BOSS LEVEL' they are at complete opposite extremes. This has a bad script, no acting excellence as they only had to act like numb-nut thug wannabe's! There is nobody to like so it has no grounding. You can tell the viewers with brainless viewing pastimes because they are the ones who gave it 6 stars or more. Those of us who like to see something of quality/style and maybe watch it again, well we only gave it a below 5 score; I gave it 1 and still thought it was too much. We really need to be able to grade a film with a zero if we think it warrants it!

I like Frank Grillo to watch but this was a total embarrassment; both to watch and for his reputation.

Grillo and Knapp are dynamic! KICK ASS MOVIE

[kbvnmdjh · 8/10 · 6 February 2023]

Brings me back to the 80's 90's action flicks. Sure will people have issues with some of the way it's directed and paced but it's crafted greatly for the entertainment value. Soundtrack is great. Grillo does his thing as usual. Glad Eric Dane is getting more roles. He was alright in this. The action/suspense is crafted very well! Knapp is INCREDIBLE as the villain. Totally menacing and unpredictable. You'll enjoy it if you don't try to dissect it. Just watch and turn your brain off it's Great! This has everything you need in a movie for entertainment value. It's not trying to be something to WOW you it wants to entertain and it thoroughly does it's job.

Casting errors ruined a promising film

[tbkcpi · 6/10 · 19 March 2023]

Beau Knapp as Cuco was a poor choice. His lethargic Spanish at the 8 minute mark highlighted the fact that he was the wrong choice. His character is as menacing as a middle school bully. There's just no real suspense. It reminds me of Boyd Holbrook in Logan. Just a poor fit, no real menace. It's not his fault but he's the main protagonist with a hook throughout the film. Just very unfortunate for everyone involved.

Frank Grillo's character on the other hand, that dude is fearsome. You can't have a weakling against someone with no feeling except a one track mind. Just a terrible imbalance.

I suspect they noticed it during editing but didn't have the budget to fix it. The only other issue was a well worn storyline. It's hard to come up with new ideas though. Caught in the middle of two warring parties and you're the underdog. Maybe next time.

Lacks chemistry and plausibility

[john-r-eve · 3/10 · 17 May 2023]

There is a distinct lack of chemistry in this film. First the divorced husband and wife are not a match in any way. I am not sure why filmmakers feel the need to have mixed race couples that have no chemistry at all. Look at the wife and then look at the main star, there's no way those two would've ever been attracted to each other. This is forced political correctness, which makes no sense at all. Chemistry does matter! Of course you also have a film, which is contrived nonsensical murder. I'm more interested in a film that has some kind of plot rather than a psycho killfest and menagerie of sick perversions. I wish I had not seen this film. Of course our society is so sick, some will love this film.

As much tension as an old knicker elastic.

[Gonzowatchmaker · 1/10 · 22 March 2023]

Let me list why you should not waste a penny watching this load of tripe: 1. The plot is ridiculous. Truly. Nothing makes sense.

2. There is absolutely no tension whatsoever. Grillo walks from one stupid situation into another with absolutely no suspense.

3. Frank Grillo just is. There is no characterisation. He has no idea what he is doing.

4. I am no expert but I believe special forces soldiers are taught to shoot at the biggest target (the chest). Gillo only ever shoots people in the head. From 5 feet to 30 feet. He never misses and never has to shoot twice. Ridiculous 5. The baddies are the worst clichés ever. Absurd and not at all threatening.

6. The hero should have some sort of moral compass. This idiot kills more innocent people than the bad guys.

Please don't waste your money. This film is not only bad, but gross.

Never meet your hero

[burneasy · 1/10 · 22 January 2024]

Plot spoilers- didn't have high hope with this one but was disappointed even more than expected. Not good for blood pressure. There are many films that circle around the premise that a relative has been kidnapped and someone has to get them back. Ordinarily, the rescuer is the hero, or a hero with flaws. Here we have neither. Cops in the way? Shoot them in the head! Security in the way? Shoot them in the head. Ex best friend in the way? Cut his head off! Store attendant who hasn't even noticed you exist- shoot him in the head. Whilst our hero kills innocents all over the place we are presumably supposed to identify with his plight and hope he meets his goals. Well maybe if he hadn't deprived numerous families of their parents I would care but instead I hoped he got his dues, together with the bad cartel. Very confusing, more so for the frequent appearances of Ali G who didn't appear to be credited.

If you have a single moral fibre you are unlikely to enjoy this. Sociopathic nonsense father- but hey!- he cares for his child. Bless. Irredeemably nauseating.