Hindsight
is the most dangerous specter. Mistakes made, things forgotten, and
wrongs never righted are the hallmarks the noir/neo-noir genre. Matthew
Pope's debut feature, Blood on Her Name, is a stripped-down
deconstruction of crime gone awry. Most stories of this nature deal with
the fall out of when plans don't work. In an unexpectedly creative
approach, Pope and his relentlessly talented cast and crew explore the disaster
of unexpected violence in an almost real-time presentation, forcing the viewer
to circle the drain of hopelessness along with the characters.
In
a small, American rural town, the story begins seconds after a body hits the
floor in a desolate mechanic's garage. What follows is a desperate
attempt to dispose of the body, endlessly complicated by the realities of human
nature and the implacable indifference of the unforeseen. This is a film
that depends almost entirely on its central performance. Bethany Anne
Lind (scene stealing supporting actress from Reprisal) is the very
essence of imperfect contradiction. She is flawed and caring, bruised and
protective, merciless and tender. The short amount of time the audience
is given with her character, despite it being a living manifestation of purgatory,
almost allows her to run the gambit of human emotion.
Her tense scenes with the amazing Will Patton buffet the story's arc with raw exposition and whispered caution. Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of Lind's poetic turn is in how normal her portrayal is. Seeing a strong woman who is both in control of her flaws and at their mercy is fascinating, as most pictures tend to double down on extremes. Lind's character Leigh is dangerous to the point of committing violence if required and yet has an undeniable sense of human morality that ultimately seals her fate.
Her tense scenes with the amazing Will Patton buffet the story's arc with raw exposition and whispered caution. Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of Lind's poetic turn is in how normal her portrayal is. Seeing a strong woman who is both in control of her flaws and at their mercy is fascinating, as most pictures tend to double down on extremes. Lind's character Leigh is dangerous to the point of committing violence if required and yet has an undeniable sense of human morality that ultimately seals her fate.
This
is a lived-in world, where everything and everyone is used up.
Comparisons to Winter's Bone are inevitable, but Pope's world of
thieves, killers, and trailer parks is an organic representation of the people
left behind by the American machine. There are mysteries everywhere, both
the obvious and the understated and how these intertwine as Leigh attempts to
dispose of the body is a tragedy of the highest order, including an unforgettable
finale that twists a final existential screw.
Matthew
Roger's cinematography is astounding. The restraint in which characters
and locales are captured relays a fundamental understanding of Pope's
vision. Uncomfortable close ups are flanked by dingy grays and browns,
representations of corruption that Leigh seems unable to escape. The
final product is a quasi Osark noir that Daniel Woodrell himself would
acclaim.
Coming
soon to digital on demand, Blood on Her Name is a terrific effort by an
immensely talented cast and crew. Helmed by a director who is comfortable
with fast paced, kinetic descents into decision laden circles of hell, this is
one of the best films of the year thus far. While some may balk at the
abruptness of the plot and certain aspects of the drama at play, ultimately
this is a slimmed down, pitch black foray across the line. The definition
of the line and how far across are what is of import and Pope explores these
concepts with tears, blood, and a fundamental understanding that in the
criminal underworld, feelings often cost more than one can afford.
--Kyle
Jonathan