#45 COLD IN JULY

#45 COLD IN JULY

Starring Chuck Yeager, Dexter and Sonny 'Crockett' Tubbs aka Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson and Sam Shepard.

Written by Jim Mickle, and Nick Damici and directed by Jim Mickle. 109 minutes.

Set in the late 80's this is a slow burn thriller that starts small with a break-in and the accidental killing of an intruder and ends with an all-guns a-blazing shot out, but via a revenge plot and a supposedly corruption ridden police force.

Michael Hall plays the mullet-affected picture framer who one night kills a criminal in his own home and gets the Cape Fear treatment from the burglar's recently released career criminal father, Sam Shepard and that's just in the first 20 minutes! From then on the film takes a delight in leading you down one route after another before throwing you into something considerably more sinister.

This is an entertaining film with three good performances from the leads, particulary from Don Johnson who easily, and with immense skill, shows us just how staggering charismatic he is! Sam Shepard demonstrates his easy acting chops and Michael C. Hall showcasing his vulnerability and likeability. It's also one of those films that's better if you know very little about it before going in, so I've already ruined it for you by saying as much as I have!

It's a guarantee that you won't be able to second guess this gripping and entertaining little flick, even though there are a few plot points that you can't help feeling where just left dangling because they stopped being important to the film.

Overall, a satisfying and enjoyable little thriller, although no classic.

7/10