★ 6 / 10
Morality and violence in small-town America is explored
Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots
Morality and violence in small-town America is explored in the gritty and brutal “Mob Land,” a modern neo-noir film from director and co-writer Nicholas…
Morality and violence in small-town America is explored in the gritty and brutal “Mob Land,” a modern neo-noir film from director and co-writer Nicholas Maggio. Reminiscent of films like “Hell or High Water” and “Wind River,” this is the type of unapologetically masculine story that’s seriously dark, rooted in brutality, and emanates a sense of realism that captures the essence of small town Americana.
A small town in the heart of the South is struggling with the opioid epidemic. It seems like every week another local resident is dying from an overdose. The local sheriff (John Travolta) does his best to keep law and order, but things get complicated when his personal friend and desperate family man Shelby (Shiloh Fernandez) is convinced to rob a pill mill with his reckless brother-in-law Trey (Kevin Dillon). The two men rip off the wrong people, and the promise of an easy payday and lure of a quick score takes a violent turn, especially when the New Orleans mafia sends their most lethal revenge-seeking enforcer named Clayton (Stephen Dorff) to town. Tasked with bringing justice to the perpetrators, Clayton tracks down Trey and Shelby, threatening their families and their lives.
It’s a solid foundation for a thriller, and Maggio (along with co-writer Rob Healy) takes his time to thoroughly set up and develop his rich, authentic characters. The cast is excellent, with strong performances and an equally engaging script. Dorff is genuinely frightening as a menacing henchman, and Fernandez has an abundance of charisma and talent that’s more than enough to hold the entire project together. Travolta falls victim to a bit of stunt casting, but his supporting role complements the story well.
Maggio is a skilled director, and his film is polished with a homegrown, rough-around-the-edges feel. He creates a world where his characters can settle in and be themselves, and it lends a depth to the authenticity of the story. Except for a couple of scenes filmed with an annoying (and clichéd) handheld shaky cam, Maggio almost always leans on directorial choices that make his film better.
While it may ultimately be forgettable, there is still a lot to like about “Mob Land.” It’s a shocking, brutal, and grim morality tale about revenge, honor, and the savagery of survival in rural America.
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★ 4 / 10
No one talks like the people in this movie
compmend-60164
Someone decided to turn on the 'Hillbilly' tropes and keep them going through the whole film. Every line felt like it was a depiction of what someone from…
Someone decided to turn on the 'Hillbilly' tropes and keep them going through the whole film. Every line felt like it was a depiction of what someone from California thought that someone who from the South might say, not the way people actually talk. The accents were horrible and the cliche filled caricatures were distracting.
This move would have gotten a higher score from me, maybe a solid 7/10 if not for the dialogue and the poor character portrayals. The cinematography was spot on and atmospheric, the music was good (Not great), and there was an okay plot, though not as fleshed out as I would have liked to have seen.
This movie was one I didn't regret watching once, but I would be hard pressed to sit down and watch it again.
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★ 5 / 10
Cookie cutter B-movie
Silicone54
Small town aw shucks down on his luck guy gets roped in by his criminal brother for an easy payday. Heist doesn't go according to plan. Things get dicey for…
Small town aw shucks down on his luck guy gets roped in by his criminal brother for an easy payday. Heist doesn't go according to plan. Things get dicey for the brothers as they robbed an interstate crime outfit. Their uncle who is the town's sheriff played by John Travolta is investigating the incident. Crime outfit sends their fixer man to "settle" the matter of stolen goods and money.
The movie has the pulse of a dying man. John Travolta is the IV drip that keeps this movie alive. That is not saying much about JT but since I am a fan I kept watching through to the end. Stephen Dorff plays the same character as in Old Henry. Its just a costume change for him basically same speech same tone.
I think most people will stick with the movie because they know how it will end. Its just a house fire and yet we can't resist staring.
5 stars for JT's appearance.
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pls share classic crime movies