Jon Bernthal's 93-Minute Suspense Thriller Deserves Another Shot on Streaming
Molly DeCastro is a New York-based emerging film and entertainment journalist with a personal passion for poetic prose and impactful storytelling. She graduated from Pace University with a degree in English and a concentration in creative writing. While film analysis is at the heart of her work, she is especially interested in exploring cinema through an anthropological lens and in examining how creative themes reflect cultural identity. She aims to forge a deep connection between audiences and film through thoughtful and evocative writing.
She also enjoys keeping up with all things film! That means specializing in industry news, emerging directors, and stand-out projects.
Set in a snow-covered sleepy town in rural Alaska, the 2017 neo-noir Sweet Virginia captures a slow burn truly unlike any other. With expert actors, Jon Bernthal and Christian Abbott at the helm, it's difficult to imagine ratings going south. However, despite the classically intriguing premise, and the truly gripping performances from both leads, what should've been a lay-up seemed to fall horrendously (and arguably undeservedly) flat. In short, Jamie M. Dagg's Edge of Your Seat thriller captures a washed-up rodeo star turned motel keeper (Bernthal) and an unpredictable hitman (Abbott) as they develop an increasingly twisted bromance.
As mentioned prior, the film received pretty inconsistent reviews. On the higher end, critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 81%. However, audiences gave it a lackluster 69%. Continuing, on to IMDB, the film received a 6.2/10, yet again just clawing above that middle mark. Not necessarily terrible, just so-so. For a semi-star-studded cast, with one beloved star in particular propelling the film forward, it's difficult to imagine what went wrong. While fans noted the eerie score and strong leading cast as the beating heart of the film, others found the pacing sluggish and the plot predictable.
The joy of a small town mystery is suspense. In fract, that's sort of the whole point. That is also the defining strength of Sweet Virginia. With that being said, the film opens with an uncharacteristic bang. Even before the credits role, an inciting incident leaves three townies dead. In short, a guy walks into a bar. He sees his buddies in a heated debate regarding an upcoming election. It's your average night, nothing notable. Then, suddenly, something or rather someone very notable enters. A young fellow waltzes in, demanding an early bird special. When politely told know, as it's well into the evening, the man retaliates with a sudden and swift act of violence, leading to the death of three innocent men.
There is, of course, a behemoth of a story to unfold and much more blood to be shed, but as the plot moves forward, it is much more dependent on a rising unease boiling between new friends. With that in mind, flowers are definitely deserved in both Dagg's directorial work and The China Brother's evident resistance to poke at the noir genre within their script. In the modern age it's so easy to depend on irony. To reference a reference of a reference. But within the team behind Sweet Virginia there appears to be a respect given to both the film itself and the genre that it falls under. Additionally, some complained the pacing was slow, which is both inaccurate and misguided. The pace was careful and thoughtful. Perhaps if one had entered the viewing experience expecting an action-packed whirlwind, perhaps disappointment would be valid. However, as stated prior, an essential quality of a noir mystery is a tantalizing slow burn.
In short, this film deserves an honest second look. In the age of the attention economy and the rise of short-form content, it is so easy to call things "slow", because in comparison they are. But what's better than a chilly night spent falling into a truly gripping story? Certainly not an evening spent scrolling. Top to bottom, from the writers to the director to the cast, each piece of the grand puzzle that led to the creation of Sweet Virginia had expert-level execution.
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