Gre da Vid
You have to wonder why and how step-brothers can hate one another to the point of death. This story will tell you how.
Red_Identity
What a great feature film debut. Nichols shows a certain restraint and control of everything on screen here in a way that makes you think he's a pro, even if visually the fllm looks rather simple and to-the-point. The ensemble here is really fantastic, led by an always-reliable Michael Shannon. The film could've easily came off as having escalated way too quickly, and maybe even unrealistic, but Nichols manages to handle everything with restraint and, again, a clear hand of how to demonstrate a story like this realistically. This film certainly is contemplative in its nature and not a 'thrilling" film by any means, and nichols needs to be congratulated for not embracing the violence as just some entertainment.
davepitts
Here is a good film where the director makes artistic choices, shapes the material, and never goes for the sensational. The acting is very natural and the setting is interesting (small-town Arkansas.) But, having seen it two weeks ago, I've already forgotten most of the narrative. In too many scenes, the dialogue is just too ordinary and the antagonism between the characters is too plateaued. The basic plot is a blood feud between two sets of half-brothers. Outside of the feud, their lives seem to center on tapedecks, burgers, and boozing. You get the parched quality of small-town Ozarks life, but that doesn't necessarily lend to dramatic form. The scars on lead character Son's back could have been a recurring motif (and meant more); in the director's commentary you learn why that plan was abandoned. A good film which lacks the extra fire that makes you want to return to it.
Justin Jones
Mike Nichols is of a new breed, inspired by a classic breed of stand-up film makers. "Shotgun Stories" is one of those films for those with patience and appreciation of beauty in every day life. When you see those shots of the American landscape through the lens, they are so much more than just this small town where some people happen to live.Gripes with such films is that they aren't entertaining to many people, that nothing really happens or that too little goes on with a dragging pace. If you want to see cars explode and people do drugs, this isn't the film for you."Shotgun Stories" is about two families who share the same Father. He passes away, and the family he left ignites in a battle against the family he was a part of for the second half of his life. The feud is so natural, so human, and so emotional that it is hard to find a way out of it for the boys as they are sent closer to the edge. The only possible answer is what comes next, death.Michael Shannon gives a fantastically reserved performance as Son Hayes, as he has been building on great performances in supporting roles, but getting no recognition for his stand-out lead performance in "Bug". It is clear that he is one to watch.If you are a fan of Terrence Malick, David Gordon Green, or Andrew Dominik's "The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford", this should be on your list to see.Shotgun Stories
AD
