Meskada

Threads of the past weave through this interesting film about small town folks and their loyalties to each other when it comes to intervention from the outside - even to the defense of homicide. Josh Sternfeld wrote and directed this little thriller with a small cast of young actors who may just be more noticed after this dramatic effort.

Two boys - Eddie Arlinger (Kellan Lutz) and Shane Loakin (Jonathan Tucker) - drifters who go on the road to rob houses and sell their goods to pawn shops through their relationship with a bar girl (Grace Gummer, another of Meryl Streep's daughters) - accidentally kill a little boy during a robbery in Hilliard. The boy happens to be the son of a Meskada County Commissioner ( Laura Benati). Young small town detective Noah Cordin (Nick Stahl) and his new partner Leslie Spencer (Rachel Nichols) are brought in to solve the crime despite the fact that the town sheriff (Michael Sirow) and cohort (Michael Cerveris) think they can handle the matter themselves: much of the clash is bringing in an outside detective who grew up in a poor small town not far from Hilliard, viewed as interference. The local Bar owner Billy (James McCaffrey) and Shane's brother-in-law Dennis (Norman Reedus) fight to protect Eddie and Shane, but events occur that reveal the true identity of the killer after a showdown between the out of town detective and the townsfolk that come to grips with a situation no one wants to explore.

While the story leaves some gaping holes unresolved, the script does manage to capture the small town loyalties that often avoid reality. Adding the aspect of how the national economy is affecting the livelihood of small town residents heightens the tension. The young cast is very fine, especially the key performance by Jonathan Tucker. Heartthrob Kellan Lutz and Grace Gummer provide the sensual interest and Nick Stahl continues to impress as an actor on the ascent. Newcomer Michael Sirow is an actor to watch as is Grace Gummer. In all this is an entertaining film that has the courage to not 'make nice' the unsettling problems of backwoods small town ethics.

Grady Harp

Quite frankly, I did not expect much of this film, particularly after I saw a score of 5.0 on IMDb.

Throughout the film you keep asking yourself "where is this going to" and each time, as the film goes on, you get more of a surprise and the tension increases a notch.

Throughout the film I kept thinking "Winter's Bone". This film reminds me a lot of "Winter's Bone", and they were both made in 2010, but at the same time this film is quite different, but still about small town and small community secrets all the same.

The acting is top class, and the direction flawless. No film stars on show but they're not needed - this is top class entertainment from little known actors (not for long) and it is top direction too.

Watch it - you won't regret it.

Meskada – CATCH IT (B-) Meskada is a complex story of young boy's murder during a burglary in a peaceful town Hilliard. The town' police investigator thinks that men coming out for work from nearby town Casewell may be involved in the burglary and accidental death of a child. His investigation about the murder leaves him trapped between people of two towns. On one side it shows the story of the police investigator and on the other side it shows the story of two young men involved in the burglary. Meskada managed to bag impressive ensemble considering the indie criteria. As the story is complex, the movie did stumbles at the end. Instead of giving a proper ending it leaves an innocent man taking all the blame. The situation was irrational and very harsh considering the scenario. I won't spoil the ending here but the movie is defiantly worth giving time. Jonathan Tucker, Kellan Lutz, Rachel Nichols, Nick Stahl, Grace Gummer and Norman Reedus did a nice job and given the material provided came on screen very natural.

(2008) Meskada MYSTERY/ THRILLER

Written and directed by Josh Sternfeld, straight to rental and as the film called "Meskada"- it's really a name of a town where a particular sheriff works at, his name is Noah Cordin (Nick Stahl) whose been assigned to investigate a murder/ death of an eight year old infant. It is soon found out that the perpetrators lived in Hilliard and that it was only an accident since it was only supposed to be a robbery where they assumed no one was inside. Hilliard also happens to be the town where Noah the sheriff grew up in. Much of the town's residents eventually reject his presence and the negative reputation that evolved within the community since their was supposed to be some employment attraction and the result of this death kind of prevented it from happening. All I can say is that the police not caring about how that last person was killed was totally stupid, and a total contradiction about how the police really operates. It also has some similarities with "Mystic River".

the nuances are key of this movie. nuances of feelings, search, truth, love. a small town and its secret. a murder. a mother. a detective. few families. and a business who must save the town. memories of lost time and dimensions of guilty. a film about roots of gestures, skin of expectation and need of sense. ingredients - fear, errors, sins. axis - two young men and their need of escape. a good film in a strange kind. Nick Stahl in an interesting role and a cast without glorious names. a meditation about rules and solutions. and an end as Dostoievsky drop. mercy and wise. image behind ordinary reality. answer for self questions and image of good/bad far from each classical formula.