"Cold in July" (2014)

Violence has become an increasingly easy means for films to create conflict and tension, but the frequently arbitrary nature of that violence makes the bloodshed feel very hollow. Cold in July has large amounts of style and numerous squibs of blood but it often seems to have little clue how to put either to good use. What begins as an interesting, if facile, exploration of the morality of self-defense killing descends into a sprawling, un-compelling conspiracy.

In 1989, Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) is a sweaty, dorky, mullet-sporting law-abiding Texan who kills an intruder breaking into his home. Richard and his family’s life (and “family” is almost always a relegatory element in the film; more symbolic than tangible) is put in danger when the dead man’s imposing father Ben Russell (Sam Shepard) begins harassing them. The cops place the family under their protection, and Cold in July kicks into thriller-mode. 

And that’s before things really kick into high gear in a convoluted and very unearned way, as the film eats through plot like it's life depended on it, casting aside better plots in the name of sustained intensity (Corrupt cops, seedy cover ups, the Dixie mafia, illicit porn peddlers -- these are all just isolated catalysts for self-contained romps). Put simply, this is a the seedy underbelly of Blue Velvet meets a revenge flick; a John Carpenter-indebted, ceaselessly action-packed throwback. That likely makes it sound much better than it is. But it’s really all just luridness for its own sake. 

Director Jim Mickle and director of photography Ryan Samul shoot the film with a grimy impressionism, a frenzy of bright and dark colors, reds and blues. It provides a requisite sense of moody atmosphere and of rotten masculine violence, and it helps builds tension. But it too often seems to serve no purpose; it’s lots of style with no substance.  

Grade: C+