Director: Jim Mickle
MPAA Rating: NR
Cold in July is not only an intensely gripping and taut thriller, but also proves to be director Jim Mickle’s most astute and assured feature to date. Although the premise and setup lay the film out as a typical revenge thriller, Cold in July takes some very quick turns, resulting in intrigue and mystery around every corner. With some great performances, including a standout role from Don Johnson, and a fantastic score from Jeff Grace, this is the type of pulp crime drama I simply can’t get enough of.
Taking place in 1989, the film stars Michael C. Hall as Richard, a hard working southern everyman who runs a frame shop in his small Texas town. One night, he accidentally shoots and kills an intruder in his home resulting in the man’s father, played by Sam Shepard, to begin hunting Richard and his family.
These are the broad strokes of a plot that quickly evolves into something much more than just a father out for vengeance over the death of his son. After dealing with the trauma over taking someone’s life, Richard is thrust into a dark world filled with depravity and violence. It’s interesting to see Hall in a role as a killer, but a very different kind of killer than his performance as Dexter. He’s clumsy, hesitates too much, and seems to always be barely hanging on to his composure. His motivations throughout the film are never truly justified, but it’s hard to determine how one will react given the situation he finds himself in.
Sam Shepard gives a wonderful performance as always, reminding us once again that he’s truly one of the greats, but the real surprise performance was Don Johnson as the charismatic detective Jim Bob. Bringing some much-needed comic relief into the film, Johnson knocks it out of the park in one of his best performances to date.
Visually, Cold in July feels familiar to that of Mickle’s last film, We Are What We Are, with the exception of the incredibly shot finale. Ryan Samul returns as cinematographer and does well in bringing this stark and very ‘80s story to life. The brutal final act is what pushes this from being an enjoyable and visually appealing thriller to one of the best of the year. Simply put, it’s a badass climax and Samul has fun in showing us that with the camera.
Despite some questions that are never really answered, Cold in July is still a rewarding, brutal, and nasty little Texas noir. The numerous plot twists will consistently keep viewers on edge, and the incredible conclusion alone is worth the price of admission. This is not one to miss.
