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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Director Jeremy Saulnier's first film, the comedy horror Murder Party, may have been an inauspicious debut but his sophomore effort, an unusually minimalist revenge thriller, is pure gold. Bearded vagrant Dwight (Macon Blair) - living hand to mouth and camped out in a battered blue car by the sea - is shaken from his torpor by the release of the man responsible for killing his parents, and sets off to take action. However, this unassuming amateur's vengeance against the killer and his backwoods clan is no bullet-laden, testosterone-filled extravaganza. It's a slow-burner with deep emotion at its heart. Blair gives a mesmerising performance as an ordinary man who's visibly damaged by the atrocity that's torn him and his estranged family apart. Dialogue is spare, as is violence that's sudden, shocking and usually inefficiently executed, as Dwight's search for answers and justice proceeds by luck more than reason. Devin Ratray also leavens the gloom as the childhood friend who helps Dwight out in the weaponry department. Understated, atmospheric and compelling, Blue Ruin has an art house indie aesthetic reminiscent of the Coen brothers' debut Blood Simple, and that's high praise, indeed.

How to watch

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Credits

Cast

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DwightMacon Blair
Ben GaffneyDevin Ratray
SamAmy Hargreaves
Teddy ClelandKevin Kolack
WilliamDavid Thompson (2)
Carl ClelandBrent Werzner
Hope ClelandStacy Rock
Officer EddySidné Anderson
Kris ClelandEve Plumb

Crew

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DirectorJeremy Saulnier

Details

Theatrical distributor
Picturehouse
Released on
2014-05-02
Languages
English
Guidance
Violence, swearing
Available on
DVD and Blu-ray
Formats
Colour
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