Blood On Her Name is a fresh film with something to say. The characters are real and complex and imperfect; the story is a fresh take on the type of genre film you may not have seen before unless you're familiar with Southern neo-noir/Gothic.
As the movie opens, Leigh has blood on her hands and a body on the floor. We are not sure who is responsible. We assume Leigh is the killer, as she does not call the cops and seems intent on a coverup. But as the story unfolds, we learn that the situation is more complicated. She may be worse than she seems, or better. It is up to the audience, and each character, to decide whether she is being moral, stupid, immoral, or a mixture of all three.
My least favorite thing about the movie is the child actor and some of the other side characters.
A solid B+ goes to the music, special effects, cinematography, etc.
The acting of the main characters, the scripting, the story, and the themes are all solidly A material.
My two favorite things about this film are (a) the judicious and minimal use of flashbacks. We start in media res and get to discover the truth along with the characters. The only flashback used is effective exposition of the character's motivations, instead of cheaply withholding then revealing "gotcha" information.) And (b) Leigh's interactions with her "foil" (the victim's wife). Gut-wrenching stuff.
This is a tightly drawn, 85 minute thriller with enough action, family drama, and philosophical conundra to satisfy a wide range of audiences.
(Full disclosure: I was privileged to read the script and see a pre-release version of the film due to personal acquaintance with the film makers. Even knowing the twist, the suspense was still effective.)
As the movie opens, Leigh has blood on her hands and a body on the floor. We are not sure who is responsible. We assume Leigh is the killer, as she does not call the cops and seems intent on a coverup. But as the story unfolds, we learn that the situation is more complicated. She may be worse than she seems, or better. It is up to the audience, and each character, to decide whether she is being moral, stupid, immoral, or a mixture of all three.
My least favorite thing about the movie is the child actor and some of the other side characters.
A solid B+ goes to the music, special effects, cinematography, etc.
The acting of the main characters, the scripting, the story, and the themes are all solidly A material.
My two favorite things about this film are (a) the judicious and minimal use of flashbacks. We start in media res and get to discover the truth along with the characters. The only flashback used is effective exposition of the character's motivations, instead of cheaply withholding then revealing "gotcha" information.) And (b) Leigh's interactions with her "foil" (the victim's wife). Gut-wrenching stuff.
This is a tightly drawn, 85 minute thriller with enough action, family drama, and philosophical conundra to satisfy a wide range of audiences.
(Full disclosure: I was privileged to read the script and see a pre-release version of the film due to personal acquaintance with the film makers. Even knowing the twist, the suspense was still effective.)
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