Cut Bank

I would've given it 8 stars but couldn't see past Hemsworth's wooden treatment and the way these people talk. Too much forced noir from the writer clashing against the backdrop of plain Jane small town setting. Otherwise it was a great plot and directed well.

I thought this reminded me a bit of Fargo but my more observant companion correctly and more accurately though it was a bit of a tribute to Blood Simple. If the movie had a weakness it was that Liam Hemsworth seemed a bit flat or lost compared to the others. The story was good, few puzzles still remain unexplained regarding the background of Derby Milton, the character whose singular unravels the plans of the main character and unleashes chaos. The women all play peripheral roles and more or less stand around and look worried.

The story felt fresh and although there was a resolution of sorts it was not too cliché.

"Hi! Welcome to Cut Bank, Montana, where the Rockies meet the Plains. My name's Cassandra Steeley, and I'd like to show you my town full of cheer and wonted kindness."

After reading a few reviews (which I normally ostentatiously refuse to do, just to avoid influence) it seemed that "Cut Bank" is very similar to the famous movie "Fargo" made by the Coen brothers. Although I'm a huge film buff and watched quite some movies, I must admit that I've never seen this infamous film. Should I be ashamed and did I miss a milestone in the history of movies ? Probably yes. But on the other hand I could watch this odd movie unprejudiced. The fact that two leading actors starred in the television series based on the Coen's flagship, probably influenced the forming of an opinion for some. For me, as an unyielding opponent of anything that smells like a TV-series, this was again an asset. It's not a work of art with a capital A, but it has a very high entertainment value.

The whole brouhaha starts when Dwayne (Liam 'The Hunger Games' Hemsworth) and his girlfriend Cassandra (Teresa Palmer) are making a type of promotional film about the town of Cut Bank, a godforsaken place where nothing really spectacular happens, and unexpectedly they witness the murder of the local postman George Wits (Bruce Dern) who makes his rounds with a vintage post car. They confront Sheriff Vogel (John Malkovich) with this murder. The first one that ever happened in Cut Bank. It turns out that there's a reward for those who can provide evidence about the murder of an official postal employee and Dwayne sees the opportunity to start a new life with his girlfriend far away from Cut Bank. However, there's an additional problem. The inspector of the postal service (Oliver Platt) must first see a corpse before he hands over the check. And then there's the strange Derby Milton (Michael Stuhlbarg) who eagerly wants his lost p-p-p-parcel.

The fact that the demand for seeing a dead body causes problems, already indicates that not everything looks as it should be. And you can't tell more about this dark and cynical story without revealing too much. It certainly is all quite absurd and sometimes even humorous. If I should compare it with something, then it's "Twin Peaks" (well I realize that this makes my earlier statement about TV series totally incredible). Actually, the conditions are almost identical. A small community somewhere in no man's land where a murder has been committed. And there are also a bunch of weird residents. In "Cut Bank" you meet some unique personalities such as a sheriff who spontaneously vomits when seeing a murder or a corpse, a speechless "native" who communicates via scribbles on a notepad, a brisk old mailman who's using binoculars to peep at cheerleaders during his round and a crazy taxidermist with an old fashioned pair of glasses with glass like the bottom of a preserving jar who starts to freak out because he didn't receive his parcel. Even the lunch which Sheriff Vogel and inspector Barrett enjoying it, reminded me of Twin Peaks. Only that this wasn't about coffee and pie.

The eccentric characters and the subtle used dark humor made me enjoy this movie. Unfortunately, the two main characters were not of the same caliber as the supporting actors. Hemsworth was not so determined as expected and the whole film he walked around like a sad puppy. His girlfriend Cassandra is charming and handsome, but that's about it. Fortunately there was the supporting cast with sounding names like Malkovich, Billy Bob Thornton, Dern, Stuhlbarg and Platt who already have won their spurs. They all played their colorful character with vigour, although sometimes it was really hard to understand what they were raving about when they used their local vocabulary during conversations. Malkovich stars as the desperate sheriff who, even though this is the first murder in his district, succeeds in unraveling the inextricable tangle of successive events. Dern as the elderly postman is hilarious and brings a few dialogs in such a way that it's clear that he's not suffering from dementia. But especially Stuhlbarg impresses as the slightly deranged, mentally disadvantaged and stuttering Derby Milton. Every time he appears somewhere, bewildered residents ask the same question again and again (one of the subtly placed humorous incidents).

"Cut Bank" is certainly not a masterpiece in terms of originality and it's not a high flyer. There have been many movies about murder mysteries in a seemingly secluded community and "Cut Bank" also adds nothing new to this genre. I fear, however, that Robert Patino couldn't really tell which direction the story should eventually go. The end result is a humorous mystery crime that results in a violent slasher story. It's nowhere really exciting, but nevertheless it was an amusing flick.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

Tried to watch this several times, but the fake, twangy--and forced-- southern accents were ridiculous. Montana is not a southern state, Hollywood. Good grief.

... "except maybe self stimulation .. and even that takes patience"

It is common knowledge that the Coen Bros don't do sequels so in a way it is the highest form of flattery that someone felt compelled to do possibly the closest thing to a sequel ... more of an homage really .. to Fargo.

Those are big shoes to fill both in front of and behind the camera.

Cut Bank Montana is as good a place as any to make the try.

The direction is pretty solid, one of the best things about the film.

Fargo had a bunch of local eccentrics but was showcased by one standout performance.

Cut Bank does not have one standout performance but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In Cut Bank Montana everyone is on the same level of nuts, and that fact works to keep the film chugging along.

My personal favorite was the local hermit who, upset that his mail is missing (that's another story arc that ties in later) walks around acting like Rain Main but at the same time going all MMA on anyone who gets into his way. Memorable. And pretty unique.

Plots form. People plan, people die, people eat peach cobbler and say clever things .... and pretty soon the film is over.

The ending is a highpoint. Clever. And sticks with you, like a Life Lesson you never asked for. Very fitting, if you live in Cut Bank. And want more than anything to leave.

And Bruce Dern (late 70s) might now rank right up there with the Anthony Quinn (mid 80s) as one of the longest-working actors in film history. Props, Bruce.

Would recommend.