Small Town Murder Songs

I can see why the movie industry is worried about the timing of film releases in relation to the DVD and online market. I had read of this film pretty recently in a New York Times review where it was playing locally and put this on my Netflix list as a reminder to seek it out later when I hoped it came to my town, Chicago.

To my surprise, Netflix listed the film as available on DVD shortly afterwards.


Reading a few reviews of the movie, these films were mentioned which I agree gives you a sense of the mood (doom and gloom):

Fargo
Donnie Darko
Witness
Winter's Bone

The setting is a small town in Canada, where a woman has been killed. The crime part of it is no big shakes, that is not really the central point of the film. It is about the character played by Peter Stormare--a police officer and born again Christian who has some repressed anger--and his place in society amongst people of various types--the Mennonites, white trash, highly moral people, people who want to be good and wish the world to be good, but find it hard to do so in this modern world. Costars include Jill Hennessey as the old girlfriend, and Martha Plimpton as the current girlfriend.

Some of the reviews I read talked about the overbearing gospel music, but although I found it a bit overbearing and loud at first (in contrast to the quiet nature and setting of the film), I think it is appropriate in a fire and brimstone sort of way. It is not typical gospel, i.e. Southern Baptist kind of thing. The music has a feel of tribal drums that makes me think of Native Indians (known as the First Nation in Canada, which is appropriate to the film's setting) or jungles/Africa.

It is also visually good looking. It uses the widecreen to enhance the landscapes and a lot of shots are mid or long rather than close ups, although I would have liked a few closeups Stormare to get a better sense of who he is and what he is thinking.

The short length of the film, 75 minutes, would be my biggest criticism, as you barely start to get to know the characters before the film ends.