Shotgun Stories (2007)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Jeff Nichols

Writer:

Jeff Nichols (writer)

Release Date:

26 March 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Shotgun Stories tracks a feud that erupts between two sets of half brothers following the death of their father...

Plot Keywords:

Brothers | Shotgun | Half Brother | Hospital | Tractor

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Michael Shannon	...	Son Hayes
Douglas Ligon	...	Boy Hayes
Barlow Jacobs	...	Kid Hayes
Natalie Canerday	...	Nicole
Glenda Pannell	...	Annie Hayes
Lynnsee Provence	...	Stephen Hayes
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Abbott Jr.	...	Cleaman Hayes
Coley Canpany	...	Cheryl
Lance Christopher	...	Fish Farm Worker
Will Hahn	...	Farm Hand
Gary Hawkins	...	J.J.
Cole Hendrixson	...	Carter
Mark W. Johnson	...	Amos
Tom Kagy	...	Red
Vivian Morrison Norman	...	Melissa
Hannah Payne	...	Funeral Attendee
Cosmo Pfeil	...	Norman
Tucker Prentiss	...	Paul
Wyatt Ashton Prentiss	...	Kevin
David Rhodes	...	John Hayes
Travis Smith	...	Mark Hayes
G. Alan Wilkins	...	Shampoo

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, thematic elements and brief strong language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:12A | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/12

Company:

A Lucky Old Sun Production

Trivia:

The majority of the principal photography took place in 2004.

Movie Connections:

References Game of Death (1978)

Hoolywood Blockbuster, No.

This film is not an action movie like the title might imply, far from in in fact, it is slow moving yet relentless in it's growing tension. You feel that it will all reach a breaking point eventually and that's what kept me interested, along with very believable performance from the entire case. I don't want to get into any of the plot for fear of spoiling anything so I won't. I knew very little going in and I think that was for the best. I'm not trying to make it sound like this is a film full of big twists, because it's not, but what it is, is a film of moments, key moments that define the film, it's story and it's characters. These moments at times are surprises and other times inevitability. All said this story is well done, I do believe it could have been done better by a different cast and some rewrites, but that's not to say that this is a bad film at all, for what it was and what it had it all feels both good and right.