American Rust

Powerful story about people in a Rust Belt area and there is little hope for the future. Fine acting that supports the episodes and those that deal with one problem after another. True, it is depressing, but all to real.

As "American Rust" (2021 release; 8 episodes of about 60 min. Each) opens with Episode 1 "The Mill", we see an old guy preparing pills (opioids?). He is soon revealed as Del Harris, Police Chief of the (fictional) town of Buell, PA, "closer to West Virginia in distance and community than to Pittsburgh", he remarks dryly. We are then introduced to Billy and Isaac, two kids just out of high school. Isaac reminds Billy that it's the last night of his 6 month probation, something worth celebrating. What is Billy on probation for? We then go the "Six Months Earlier"... At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this mini-series is the TV adaptation of the book of the same name by Philipp Meyer, as directed by veteran TV director John Dahl. I have not read the book so I cannot comment how closely the TV series sticks to the book. As I was watching Episode 1, I immediately had to think of this other recent TV mini-series Mare of Eastown, starring Kate Winslet. The central theme is the same: a small and rural Pennsylvania town continues to decay, leaving its population (whatever is left of it) in shambles and desperation. And oh yes, along the way there is a murder mystery to be solved. So my expectations were not very high for "American Rust", but I must admit that I quite enjoyed Episode 1. Other than Jeff Daniels (in the lead role of the Police Chief), this is pretty much a no-name cast (at least for me), but the acting performances were quite robust. Even there are several plot twists in just the opening episode, positioning itself to be an explosive mini-series, the overall pace of at least Episode 1 is quite slow.

"American Rust" premiered this weekend on Showtime, and Episode 1 is now available on Showtime on Demand, Amazon Instant Video and other platforms. New episodes air on Sunday evenings at 10 pm Eastern. If you are in the mood for a dark, if not grim, murder mystery series set in a depressing environment, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

I think a lot of reviewers must not know the lighting on this show is mood lighting to emphasize the darkness, dreary area and somber mood of the town's residents. The events would be much less effective if it was bright, sunny, cheery lighting. I can't believe I feel the need to make a case for different types of lighting on a film project. And the cast is top-notch. The reviewers must not watch tv or film to not know who these stars are. It's a very well written adaptation from a book.

This show started off slow and I almost called it quits after the second episode, but I love Jeff Daniels in serious roles and I wanted to give it a real chance. I'm really glad I did. Here we are at episode 9 and it's totally paid off in full, though the show picked up earlier than that. I think the critics rushed to judgement on it.

This show is very underrated quite frankly for its realism. I love that it is not an over hyped, over acted, overly dramatized look at life in a small steel town in Pennsylvania. I think what in most captivating is everything about seems like its playing out exactly as it might with all the sorrows, depths and loyalties that one might find in small impoverished town in which one must rely on ones town folks in desperate times. It was cast brilliantly with top notch acting and writing. Jeff Daniels will likely be nominated for some award. The undertones of opioid addiction are incorporated just enough that you understand how pervasive the problem is but not so much it overly dominates the main story line which is really about loyalties one might experience in a place where everyone knows one another and are somehow intertwined with a sense of duty to one another, something lost in large cities. The only missed opportunity here so far is that the director didnt do a better job cinematically. It is obvious this is not a seasoned director and should they renew it for a second season I hope they expand the budget to include better cinematography. Well done. Im on episode 6 and I am completely invested.