Starting off a review with I hate when my expectations are high is not the way I wanted to write this. But that is the only way I can explain how I'm understanding of what Cold In July is. I chalk this up to another movie where the trailer had everything I wanted. I think I need to stop watching trailer. Or companies need to stop putting everything in a trailer. But that is an argument for another time. Michael C. Hall has always intrigued me as an actor. I have never seen an episode of Dexter. I know him from Six Feet Under and a few films he's been in. He was talented for sure. I just never jumped on the bandwagon. With him, Sam Shepard and the always go to Don Johnson in the lead of this film, you might see why my expectation were a bit high.
The film based on the novel by Joe R. Lansdale leads a complicated story of a father while protecting his family shoots an intruder in his house. That intruder happens to be the son of a recently released ex-con. The story gets more involved but anymore and I would be spoiling it. This is one of the film, the colder you go in the better off you are. The story twists and turns a lot. I wasn't expecting any of it. It starts as a home invasion drama then turns to a revenge film before diving into full on crime noir. I am usually one to figure out some twists and turns but this one had me locked in.
Even for all the twist and turns there are moments where the film meanders and that too me out of what was going on. It is slow moving, I just expected some action. But the story doesn't call for it until the end. With the film taking place in 1989 with the filmmakers fully embracing the 80's from the cars, the styles and the synth pop soundtrack. Which fit well very much like in Drive. Hall and Shepard are good as two people on opposite sides of the fence for half of the film. Don Johnson is the one member of the lead three that breakouts in a huge way. His private eye is funny, cool, calm and entertaining. I could watch a whole film with just his character. It's disappointing that he doesn't show up until about 45 minutes into the film.
The film is well shot with only a few of the night scenes dimly lit. It takes place in Texas and it felt very southern in it's mood. The bars, the shops, the cars are felt like they were stuck in 1980's Texas. It gave a good sense of atmosphere. The issue I had was after a few early twists the film dragged until the action finale. I was expecting a bit more on the action front or some other twist that I could come up with. Entertaining for the most part, I had too high of expectations. This is a crime noir instead of a action crime drama. I was looking for the latter.
The film based on the novel by Joe R. Lansdale leads a complicated story of a father while protecting his family shoots an intruder in his house. That intruder happens to be the son of a recently released ex-con. The story gets more involved but anymore and I would be spoiling it. This is one of the film, the colder you go in the better off you are. The story twists and turns a lot. I wasn't expecting any of it. It starts as a home invasion drama then turns to a revenge film before diving into full on crime noir. I am usually one to figure out some twists and turns but this one had me locked in.
Even for all the twist and turns there are moments where the film meanders and that too me out of what was going on. It is slow moving, I just expected some action. But the story doesn't call for it until the end. With the film taking place in 1989 with the filmmakers fully embracing the 80's from the cars, the styles and the synth pop soundtrack. Which fit well very much like in Drive. Hall and Shepard are good as two people on opposite sides of the fence for half of the film. Don Johnson is the one member of the lead three that breakouts in a huge way. His private eye is funny, cool, calm and entertaining. I could watch a whole film with just his character. It's disappointing that he doesn't show up until about 45 minutes into the film.
The film is well shot with only a few of the night scenes dimly lit. It takes place in Texas and it felt very southern in it's mood. The bars, the shops, the cars are felt like they were stuck in 1980's Texas. It gave a good sense of atmosphere. The issue I had was after a few early twists the film dragged until the action finale. I was expecting a bit more on the action front or some other twist that I could come up with. Entertaining for the most part, I had too high of expectations. This is a crime noir instead of a action crime drama. I was looking for the latter.