American Rust

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.

I watched the first season back in Sept 2021. I had wondered what the heck happened with it, I had no idea that it was cancelled, And then come to find out, Just last week, April 2024, it's on Amazon Prime as an exclusive with a second season. Now I thought the first season was fine if a little bit slow but good acting good writing et cetera. I started season 2 a few days ago, & i'm on episode six, Sunday morning at 130 AM. It is Like a a good book you can't put down! This is really gripping. For those of you that may be on the fence after finishing the first season- keep going...because, Season two is WAY better than the first.

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.

Although American Rust gets a high average rating here on IMDB, the press gave it a rathe lesser welcome and judgment. That is unfair.

It is usually compared to the excellent Mare Of Eastwood, which plays in a similar downbeat environment. But comparisons, as the man said, can be odious. Yes, it covers the same ground but it does is just as well.

It might be slow-moving, but blame those who don't like that on those who don't like 'slow-moving'. American Rust tells more than just the superficial story.

It describes, in quite subtle detail the lives, problems and dilemmas of some folk who have been cast to live at the arse end of existence. And it does the job very well indeed.

This role seems to be written for Daniels. Very good acting by the whole cast, especially Maura Tierney, Alex Neustaedter and Rob Yang. Well worth the binge.