Don't let the rating of the IMDb fool you. This is truly a great movie, very comparable to Blood Simple. Both movies revolve around a magnificent representation of small town southern US, and the setting plays a huge role in both.
The acting is peerless in this film, with Val Kilmer at his finest and notable supporting performances by Sam Shephard, Amy Smart and Neve Campbell. I would imagine most people who voted poorly for this movie were put off by it's slower pace but to myself, it was sheer magic. This movie hits every right note.
Val Kilmer plays Frank Kavanaugh, a man who wakes up in a border town with amnesia after being shot in the head. The rest of the movie is Frank recalling tiny glimpses of his memory brought on by sudden triggers involving the President of the United States, scenes of violence, and mental images of people and places. Neve Campbell plays Kilmer's suspicious wife, Amy Smart is Frank's nurse and Shephard plays the small town sheriff investigating Frank's shooting.
The difference in this movie and some of the big budget Hollywood films is how they manage to capture some of the smaller scenes so right. The seedy bars, the desolation, the cheap hotels, the small hospital. Incredible and has to be seen for that direction alone.
If you are a fan of truly great direction on a lower budget film with grittiness, plot twists and amazing performances then look no further. This is your movie.
Classify it under "The Hidden Gems" category.
