Steel Country

For a budget film thriller a was surprised how good this was written Andrew Scott played the lead role well just shows you don't need a big name actor too play the role it's a little slow to start off with but be patient by the end you will have enjoyed it...

The main actor plays the role of an autistic man who is fixated on making sure things are left as they should be, from something as simple as a dustbin lid being left open to a serious crime being left unsolved, that is not how things should be and he will have no peace of mind until things are put right even if putting things right is a matter of life or death. The main actor deserves an Oscar, his performance was amazing, the story is dark and tragic but overall it is a brilliant film, and I'm not easily pleased,

Obviously, the budget is an important thing to make a good movie, but, as we saw in this movie, it is not a crucial factor to make a good movie. We can see here a small budget movie, but, we can see also an overall good actor's performance, in fact, significant acting for the leading role Andrew Scott, a good direction, a good scenario, a meaningful story. And this is all that the good movie needs.

The acting of the leading actor Andrew Scott in this film is excellent. The pace is a bit slow and the story isn't mind-blowing but Andrew's effortless performance engages the audience and makes you want to root for him and see how things are going to pan out. My only complaint is that the ending is a little weak.

It is surprising to learn that this is a British made film. Made entirely with UK money, an English director and a couple of Irish actors in the two lead roles. Most impressive given that this passes pretty easily as an American product. It falls into a category of crime/thriller/mystery which there seems to be quite a few of, i.e. one set in a small town in the backwaters of the U.S. where an ordinary individual investigates or is hurled into a crime scenario. Many American independent films have been of this type in recent years and I guess this is one aspect which goes against Steel Country slightly, in that it is an overly familiar set-up. Nevertheless, it remains a good enough film with a very impressive central performance from Andrew Scott in the lead role of a bin man with an Asperger's type of condition, whose particular mind-set impels him to not accept a recent account of a young boy drowning. He suspects foul play and this leads him on a dangerous path with reveals dark secrets in the local town.

The film works more as a mystery than as a thriller; albeit, there are a couple of memorable scenes which fall under the latter bracket, including a surprising one near the finale. But mostly, this one focuses on an amateur sleuth seeking the truth and a town which seems reluctant to reveal all. Ultimately, this is a good, if relatively standard, bit of Americana (even if it is actually British!).