Cenizas del pasado

Blue Ruin.

OK. If you like No Country For Old Men, Falling Down, Reservoir Dogs, Taxi Driver, ...take out the commercial element from all of these and just leave the bare-bones of the pure cinema with: A/ actor who's face looks like your shy friend B/you cannot see any high-budgeted actor in it but all of them play better than Daniel Craig and Al Pacino altogether C/the script will take your head off even if you have been prepared for it and watched thousands of B/Indie movies in advance D/the camera work is magnificent E/Trust me, I am a Doctor: if you like a good action movie not set up upon Hollywood standards watch this movie after 00:00 and you will not be disappointed.

So far the best MOVIE of the year.

A low-budget independent film that is nevertheless handsomely and confidently shot, Blue Ruin is a consistently unpredictable, twisty, and excellent thriller. At no point will you be quite sure where the film will take you, or what direction it will go next, up until maybe around the final scene.

Indeed, the film is so unpredictable, it would be a sin to tell you much about it.

But-- "Dwight is a vagrant, scavenging for food in dumpsters and sleeping by the beach in a broken-down car. His aimless existence is interrupted, however, when he receives notice that a man from his past is being released from prison." That's an abridged version of the PFF summary, and about all you need to know. I would recommend reading nothing else about the story of this film. Take the risk and dive in blind.

I was shocked how good Saulnier, a director I've never heard of until now, was good at generating suspense.

It was accepted into the Director's Fortnight at Cannes.

Apart from a few forgivable imperfections (remember, this is a debut film, after all), Blue Ruin is an excellent Indie drama/thriller.

I disagree with the previous reviewer who referred to this as a movie with multiple and constant plot twists - what you get in Blue Ruin aren't actually plot twists, instead they are merely plot developments presented in a story that is told in a fashion that is not strictly linear.

This is a well shot (some creative use of visual techniques and shot selections in this film), well written, engaging film that draws you in and keeps you watching right to the very end, despite the fact that it deliberately takes in time in various places.

I couldn't help but think of Take Shelter when I watched this film - both movies have a similar stylistic sensibility, where things are not overplayed, and the lead protagonist has an eccentricity and vulnerability about them that you just can't look away from.

A great film, well worthy of the 90 minutes it takes to get through, and a clear sign that this filmmaker has a very successful future ahead of him.

Like everyone else probably has already said, there is something of the Coen Brothers about this film, but not in terms of humor or oddity, but rather in its stripped down violence that worked so well in Blood Simple. The plot here sees a homeless man learning that the man who murdered his parents has been released from jail. He sets out for revenge, but the attempt goes badly, putting his estranged sister and family at risk.

Starting out mostly in wordless scenes, the film draws us in with Dwight revealing a lot of his life and what led him there, all with little touches and moment. We don't fully understand the ins and outs of it all, but the gist is clear and it is engaging. The steady pace of the start continues throughout, and it works well to produce tension and build-up within scenes, but also across the film as a whole. The stripped down feel to the writing, soundtrack, and production all add to that sense of tension - it doesn't feel forced for flamboyance or excessive (although the closing scenes maybe do a bit, to their slight detriment). There isn't a 'side' really, although of course we follow Dwight as our way in - but it is the spiral and lack of choice that draws the film along just like it does to him.

Blair is the star here and he holds the film together. He is convincing in his simplicity, and delivers an engaging character whether he is on the beach at the start, making bad decisions, or dealing with a mess he has no way out of. The supporting cast are all good (and benefit from a lack of 'faces'), but it is Blair's film throughout. Writer/director Saulnier has a deft touch for tension, with good camera movement when it matters (tracking what isn't visible for example), as well as allowing nothing to happen at times when so much is at stake.

Blue Ruin was a surprise find at a time when I knew nothing about it but the running time fitting my evening. It turned out to be a gripping but sparsely populated film, which played to its strengths from start to finish.

A very tense and taught thriller that puts you along side Dwight as events unfold. I am so accustomed to the actions of characters in your typical Hollywood revenge thrillers that in my mind I was intensely screaming at Dwight's actions when IT, hit the fan. Then the realization came, this is not a film where the lead character becomes a fuel raged unstoppable hero suddenly becoming an expert on how to kill.

The quietness is very intense in this film and you focus everything on the characters. That is how good the directing and the script are, the film is not afraid of the silence. You become aware of how fast your heart is beating in the silence. The directing by Jeremy Saulnier was handled expertly and was feast for the eyes. Beautiful cinematography and his utilization of natural lighting made it easy to get lost in the film. There are scenes that will make you squirm and there are humorous tension releasing moments, that is how tight the script is you are relived that you have those moments. Everyone in this cast is on point, I did not feel one off key from any of actors. The gamut of emotions that run through Dwight's ( Macon Blair) eyes alone is worth the price of admission. There are some great actor finds and also some actor re-found here. Eve Plum as an unredeemable character in the film. Yes, that Eve Plum. Applauds to the whole cast. The score from the Blair Bros is haunting and never over powers a scene. It might sound like I am gushing over this film, but if you can talk and think about a film long after the lights come up then gush I must.

If you find this film near you, do yourself a favor and see it and be kind to your friends and bring them along. You are guaranteed a long conversation over drinks afterward. This is not your typical revenge film, yes it bleeds, but it also bleeds emotions.