User Reviews

The reason a friend and I watched this is because we are big fans of Tyler Christopher as Nikolas Cassidine on "General Hospital." It's not too bad of a film, runs just like a TV-movie and even has some nice outdoors scenes.

What was really unintentionally funny about this film was that Tyler seemed very out of place, not being "hick enough" for his role. It was kind of like watching Nikolas Cassidine on a farm. Even funnier was spotting the few times in the film he tried to do a "hick" accent, even spicing up things a bit by throwing in a "y'all" here and there. Once he even said it with the accent. The funniest was probably when he was trying to get the New York girl to jump in the water with him, when he slipped into the accent and stated that "y'all city folk" or something don't do things like that!

The brothers going after the same girl was kinda cool, as was Tyler's obvious attitude throughout the film. One surprise was Sally Struthers, looking a tad slimmer these days, in a completely embarrassing minor role (cameo?) that isn't going to help her career any.

There's even some cool old cars around, and a real old-school southern-type black man to help out. The extras are actually decent, with everyone kissing up to Tyler in the "behind the scenes" section. The narration on the trailer is absolutely hilarious. Tyler's line of "leave the killing to the killers" may have been big if it was in a bigger movie. And if he wasn't just killing a mere cow when he was saying it! (For the record, his character and his brother were in the meat business.) To watch this, it definitely helps that you are a Tyler fan thanks to his work on GH. If you are, it's actually a halfway decent film, could have been a lot worse!

I rented this DVD based on the IMDB reviews that said it was pretty good. What a mistake! Did we see the same movie??? I fell asleep at least five times. It was boring. There was no plot. It was confusing. The acting was below a really bad made-for-TV movie. Don't make the mistake, even for 99 cents.

I recently rented this on DVD and was really enjoyed by this film - well cast, beautifully shot, and a truly compelling story. Out of the Black is one of the very few films that doesn't have a single flaw. Seeing Out of the Black for the first time was the most amazing movie experiences of my life. There's scenes that stay with you when the movies over, and you don't forget them. The dialogue is just unbelievable. I've seen the movie at least 30, 40 times, and I'm still amazed at how perfect it is. The music, the acting, everything. Its my opinion that this is the greatest movie ever made, and I doubt that anyone can watch this movie, and think I'm crazy.

**SPOILERS** Nicely photographed and acted movie who's plot take a while to digest due to the many twists and turns in it that makes you wonder just who "did it" and who "didn't". This in regard to a deadly coal mine accident in 1975, at the Steelhead Mine, that left the entire county of Cambria Pennsylvania bankrupt.

Kindly Philip Heart, Frank Thornton, ended up owning all the residential real estate in the county and now thirteen years later he passed away. Hearts greedy wife Penny ,Dee Wallace-Stone, took over his finances together with her shyster boyfriend lawyer Eugene Carter,Tom Atkins, and is going to foreclose all of her holding leaving a number of residents in Cambria out in the cold.

Among those who are to lose their farms and homes are the Malbys brothers Cole and Patrick, Tyler Christopher and Jason Wilder, and their crippled and widowed mom Elizabeth, Sally Kirkland. Their dad and Elizabeths and husband was one of those who was killed in the 1975 coal mine accident. Into the mix comes young and pretty Kate McLachlan, Jackie Aries, from New York City searching for her dad who lived in Cambria County but left her mom before she was born.

We at first are lead to believe that Kates's father was the late Philip Heart but later we have a big surprise coming in finding out just who's sweet and lovely Kate's real dad and he's anything but a stiff in a box.

Most of the movie "Out of the Black" has to do with the two Malby brothers and their struggle to save their and their mothers home and farm from being foreclosed by Penny and Eugene. We have at least a half dozen flashbacks about the 1975 mine accident that killed their dad Cal, Miles O'Keefe. In the end we get, as well as the boys, the real story behind that tragic event and that it wasn't an accident at all.

The film lags in some places especially when it comes to the documents and insurance claims in regard to the mine accident that would take a book keeper or qualified CPA to fully understand but it. The claims, have a lot to do with the legality of the Penny/Eugene takeover of the local proprieties that in the end lead to an explosive conclusion. Where a number of the main characters in the movie end up either dead or wounded.

You get a bit of a let down at the end of the film because it doesn't really seem to tie all the loose ends together and leaves a lot of things that are in the movie up in the air. You never really know what was the reason for Cal death. Was it suicide? what was the relationship between Elizabeth and Philip Heart before and after Cal died?

You also don't get a clear understanding of what was going on in the mine between Cal and the then coal miner and now Sheriff, of Cambria County,Bill Masterson, Jack Conley,just before it blew up. There's also the shooting of Elizabeth that left her crippled for life by a young Cole. Was it a terrible accident, that's never fully explained. Still the fine acting by all involved makes you forget a lot of the plot-holes and pitfalls in "Out of the Black" and also makes the movie well worth watching.

I recently rented this on DVD and was really surprised by this film - well cast, beautifully shot, and a truly compelling story. Tyler Christopher, of General Hospital fame, did an amazing job, as did the younger brother. It got started a bit slow, but then builds into a captivating mystery-thriller. I would definitely recommend this one.

This heavy-handed melodrama of two brothers coming to grips with family scandal in a Pennsylvania mining town is too contrived for it's own good, relying too heavily on coincidence and sensationalism to be believable. But while the scenario is amateurish, the direction and performances here are very nicely executed and warrant a watch. A little less glamour would have gone a long way in making this one more lifelike. As it is, a glorified TV movie.

It is enjoyable to see a movie that is not embarrassing while watching with my granddaughters. Enjoyed the movie very much as I do not want to be shocked just entertained. The movie was well directed and at least seemed to have a direction to go. Far too many just seem to wallow in special effects and to heck with a story. I have seen other Karl Kozak directed movies and he has always came through. The few glitches appear to be problems in the cutting room. The acting is well done for a independent low budget movie.I liked it enough that I bought my own copy to view.

I ran into my local vid store yesterday, to check out the new releases. I found, among many, a movie I haven't heard of before. The film was called "Out of the Black." It had some recognizable names, including many award winners and nominees like Sally Kirkland, so for the price of a rental I figured I had nothing to lose.

Do you remember when films were of the quality of old John Wayne movies, or television of the likes of Bonanza, or Little House but edgier? That describes "Out of the Black," an unsung minor miracle of a movie about two young brothers who set to solve the mystery of their father's death from a mining explosion over ten years before. Tyler Christopher plays Cole Malby, the protagonist of the story who seems to never have gotten over his dad's death. As he joins forces with his brother, Patrick, tensions arise when they both become attracted to the mysterious Cait, a beautiful young woman from New York who sets to find her own missing father. Action, laughs and drama ensue, including a few moments of heartbreaking honesty. My video group and I cannot praise this film enough. Go see "Out of the Black."

I found the blend of known, and unknown (to Me) actors more interesting. I felt as if I were watching the characters come to life on the screen, rather than seeing actors portraying the same types that they always play in every movie that they do. I hate movies that I can predict the ending to, less than half way into.

This film kept me guessing to the very end. I found it compelling.

Very good plot - I liked the mystery and the characters - it was well acted for the most part and held my interest. Good story - nice music and excellent cinematography. Especially enjoyed the actor who played Patrick - others were good also.

I just rented this film from a local Hollywood Video store, mainly because the box showed a couple of attractive young women and a guy with a gun! Well, I was pleasantly surprised at what was inside the box. The women were certainly attractive (no nudity but some nice curves) and they gave good performances as well. I don't remember their names as I write this, but they'll show up on the Out of the Black page here on imdb. The male lead gave a rugged but sensitive performance as the ne'er-do-well son who finally finds reconciliation with his mom and brother. It's not "Gone with the Wind," but my wife and I both thought we got our money's worth. Recommended.

I saw Out of the Black on July 25th, as a special screening in Hollywood, during the Dances with Films Festival.

I found the story very involving and intriguing. It was a fast paced, never boring movie. There was a bit of confusion with a couple of flashbacks but it was resolved in the end.

Tyler Christopher was a perfect choice for Cole. He reminds me of a young Brando. Great screen presence. The other actors were very good, as well. Karl Kozak seemed to get the best out of his cast.

I enjoyed the movie very much and look forward to seeing more of Mr. Kozak and Mr. Christopher's work in the future.

I saw this film in Los Angeles and found it to be a brilliant character driven story, that was well acted and passionate. I went with a friend and had very few expectations. I had seen Tyler Christopher on General Hospital and the Pretender but had no idea he was doing movies. His character "Cole" was very reminiscent of a young Marlon Brando in 'Streetcar'- interior and smoldering - Wow! Anyway, Jeffrey Lyons had given the film an excellent review so we decided to check it out. I'm always a little skeptical of indie films but this one I will say, was excellant. Dee Wallace played a great antagonist, and Sally Kirkland's character, who was a mute, was fantastic. Unlike the big studio films, this is a movie with depth and heart. It was both involving and suspenseful without the use of special effects. The only negative was maybe the ending, which held out on the relationships and there resolutions, but I guess you can use your imagination. I gave this film an eight and a half out of ten.

I really enjoyed last night's San Diego screening of "Out of the Black." Karl is a truly fantastic storyteller, and the writing, directing, acting and production value were all really great! I really think this film has a strong shot at some sort of meaningful distribution deal. Not many movies nowadays focus on story and characters (they rely on effects and star power), and I felt very drawn into the story...I truly lost myself in the film! Great "unraveling of the layers of the onion"!

Obviously, I watched a different movie than Mr. Parker. I thought the movie was very well done for a small independent film. The story was a little choppy in the beginning but picked up and was very entertaining. The soundtrack was wonderful. The acting was top-notch with Tyler Christopher as the lead, along with the other cast members. It's a definite movie well worth watching.

This is an enthralling movie. Tyler Christopher who played on general hospital did a excellent job. There are some very good looking women actor`s. It kept me on the edge of my chair as the mystery unfolds. Good story line about the "accidental" death of the two brothers ten years earlier and the brothers effort to learn more of the truth. Very well cast and acted with a great story line. If Karl Kozak`s next film is anywhere close to this quality it will be a must see film.

I saw this film at a premier in San Diego but had never written a review here. But then I read here a rather negative review of the film and felt I had to write. I remember being very impressed with the acting, especially Sally Kirkland who plays the mute mom and Tyler Christopher who is the "hunky" lead. The story line was suspenseful, and the small town setting was very authentic. I agree that the plot got a bit confusing in the middle, but by the conclusion all the pieces were tied together for a surprise ending. There were some young actors who I had not seen before and some old-timers like Sally Struthers and Michael J. Pollard. I thought the performanaces were outstanding. I would definitely recommend this film as a rental on a night when you're in the mood to eat some popcorn and watch a good story unfold.

I thought the movie was excellent, particularly for a small independent film. The performances were very believable and it was great to see so many old, familiar faces. It was suspenseful and kept me on the edge to the end.

Excellent storyline. The way everything unfolds at the end was awesome. The movie and the music went well together and I can't wait for the next Karl Kozak film. The soundtrack that accompanies the movie turned out just as good. Great job in every area!

From the spot-on ensemble casting of venerable vets and top-notch newcomers to the richly textured cinematography and deft direction, "Out of the Black" hails the arrival a major new talent in Karl Kozak, a true American auteur. Passionate and powerful, slick and seductive, this is an independent feature that rises above.

With his brooding sensitivity and explosive personal charisma, Tyler Christopher is reminiscent of a young Marlon Brando. No question we'll be seeing more of this young actor very soon.

Packed with soul, class, passion and punch, "Out of the Black" sets a very high standard for director Karl Kozak

This was a powerful, riveting drama set in the mines of Pennsylvania that invites comparison to "East of Eden" as a powerful coming of age film. Excellent performances and gorgeous location cinematography combine to make this an exceptional viewing experience.

I had the fortunate opportunity to view "Out of the Black" at the LA Premier.

From the fist opening shot, I was immediately impressed by the lush and vivid cinematography that effortlessly transported the viewer into the rugged, visceral world of a small Pennsylvania coal mining town.

The compelling story, aided by rich and clever dialogue, progressed on a comfortable crescendo, culminating in its suspenseful, plot twisting climax.

Woven seamlessly into the fabric of this drama was the skillful acting of the cast, which consisted of an impressive array of notable stars. Deftly, the actors carried the story forward through performances that subtly incorporated the script's elements of suspense, romance,...and even comedy. Every scene delivered.

Moreover, Director Karl Kozak's influence and gifted style could be witnessed throughout the film. From the selection of the evoking musical compositions, to the tight editing, Mr. Kozak demonstrates his knowledge and heartfelt application of his filmmaking craft.

Tonight was the Pittsburgh premiere of Out of the Black. The film was made in this area so the turnout was great! I thought the movie was very well done and I liked the way the drama escalated as the movie went on. I do think the plot was a little hard to follow in some areas due to the quick skipping from scene to scene, but in the end it all comes together. The relationships of the two brothers was very intense and this made me drawn into the movie even more. It is refreshing to see a movie whose strength is in its characters and the plot instead of all of the shallow movies made today. Great job!!