Cold In July
Director: Jim Mickle.
Screenplay: Nick Damici, Jim Mickle.
Starring: Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, Don Johnson, Vinessa Shaw, Nick Damici, Wyatt Russell, Bill Sage, Brogan Hall, Kristin Griffith, Ken Holmes.
“Well, boys, it’s Howdy Doody Time”
Jim Mickle is not a director who’s name you might instantly recognise but he’s one that’s been chipping away at career for himself. Along with writing partner Nick Damici, they’ve delivered some relatively successful, low-budget horror films over the last few years with Mulberry St, Stake Land and a remake of the Spanish film We Are What We Are. With Cold In July, they’ve delved into a different genre altogether but, again, the results are quite impressive.
In 1980’s Texas, an intruder breaks into a home and awakens family man Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) who shoots and kills him. After an investigation by local Policeman Ray Price (Nick Damici), it’s more or less a closed case and Richard is allowed to continue as he was. However, the intruder’s father (Sam Shepard) is looking for retribution and begins to haunt Richard and his family which opens up all sorts of new information and how the intruder could have been a set-up, which draws Richard further and further into a dark underworld.
Based on the pulp novel by Joe R. Lansdale, there’s much to admire in Cold In July’s feel for Texan noir. It’s reminiscent of the likes of Jim Thompson’s After Dark, My Sweet or The Killer Inside Me in driving us down the dirt roads of seedy underworld gangsters and their depravity. Nothing is what it seems and that’s exactly the appeal. What begins as a random act of self preservation soon becomes a quest for the truth and vigilantism. Despite sporting a questionable mullet, Dexter and Six Feet Under’s Michael C. Hall carries the film very well but he’s aided immeasurably by two old hands in Sam Shepard and Don Johnson. The latter doesn’t appear till half way through the film but with his cowboy hat and his Cherry-red convertible, he injects real energy into the proceedings. Up until then, director Mickle had been tightening his grip steadily and deliberately with his honing of some impressive moments of brooding tension and utilising Jeff Grace’s John Carpenter-esque synthesiser score to great effect.
It’s certainly not without faults; plot strands are left unresolved or discarded entirely and the progression of our main character from doting family man to vigilante, stretches credulity. However, there’s enough style going on to allow you to forgive its shortcomings. If, like me, you’re a fan of trashy pulp noir then this should go down like a neat little shot.
Mark Walker
Trivia: The author of the novel Joe R. Lansdale, appears briefly at the beginning of film as a priest at the graveside.
MARKED MOVIES 
October 20, 2014 at 7:31 pm
Love the writing Joe Lansdale. Will be checking this out, for sure. Fine write up, Mark.
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October 20, 2014 at 7:35 pm
I haven’t actually read any of his stuff, Michael. I’ve been aware of him and if this is the material he delivers, then I’m certainly up for more. This is good little flick.
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October 20, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Definitely one of the coolest writers out there.
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October 20, 2014 at 9:35 pm
I’ll definitely be checking him out then, Michael. You have great taste when it comes to these things. You and I seem to share a love for these sorts of genres and writers. 🙂
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October 20, 2014 at 7:34 pm
Sounds good!!
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October 20, 2014 at 7:36 pm
It is good, mucker! It has some flaws and plot holes aplenty but still quite the little gripper.
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October 20, 2014 at 8:41 pm
Been meaning to catch this one for a while, looks really good. Loved We Are What We Are, very solid flick.
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October 20, 2014 at 9:07 pm
It’s a good film, Ryan. I wasn’t overly keen on how plot strands were left entirely adrift but I still have to credit it, where it’s due. Very admirable little Texan-Noir that’s somewhere between The Coens and John Carpenter. Not up to either of those standards. But good nonetheless.
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October 20, 2014 at 9:29 pm
Love Michael C Hall. Bring back Dexter 😦
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October 20, 2014 at 9:37 pm
Michael C. Hall is certainly shaping up well, bro. Although, I have to admit that I gave Dexter a go after Breaking Bad and couldn’t quite get into it. Is that bad? Should I try again? It seemed tame and cheap in comparison to Breaking Bad.
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October 20, 2014 at 10:52 pm
I havent seen Breaking Bad…….I own them all so I will. For me, Dexter is unbelievable. Goes slightly downhill from season 5 onwards, but what show can stay amazing for 8 years? Blood, sex, humour, its got it all!
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October 21, 2014 at 8:57 pm
I’ll really need to give Dexter another go. I love the idea of the whole thing and it always sounded great but I just gave up after about 3 or 4 episodes. It didn’t grab me at all.
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October 21, 2014 at 12:51 am
Baha! That mullet stretches credulity more than anything!! 😉
I really can’t wait to see this one man, sound review. It appears my thoughts (and concerns) are shared here.
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October 21, 2014 at 8:59 pm
Haha! Mullets are so 80’s! 😉
Cheers Tom. Much like one of your bite-sized reviews, I kept it concise. I actually wasn’t even going to write it at all but it had some qualities that deserved a mention. Decent little noir!
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October 22, 2014 at 3:14 am
Oh!!! Good call on bringing up the BSR thing. . .I know you mentioned it only in passing. But funny enough, I think you are well aware now that Tyson has been calling you out behind your back on my blog about when you were ever going to step up to the challenge of reviewing something for that feature. He’s been wanting to pair up with you forever just to take a swing at you!!!! 😉 😉
(But please, feel no obligation. But feel peer pressure, by all means. 😀 )
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October 22, 2014 at 4:18 pm
Hmmm…. I sensing a little BS here and it’s not Bite Sized 😉
Although, I wouldn’t put it past Tyson to talk behind my back. The man has no morals and avoids saying things to my face. However, I might contribute to BSR when I’ve found my feet again! 🙂
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October 22, 2014 at 6:18 pm
haha. Yeah, Tyson is absolutely a-moral. 😛
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October 22, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Fuckin-A 😉
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October 21, 2014 at 9:13 am
Sounds like a fascinating and gripping movie, great write up Mark.
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October 21, 2014 at 9:00 pm
Cheers Vinnie. There’s certainly plenty of plot holes but it still manages to overcome them in terms of a gripping little thriller.
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October 21, 2014 at 10:21 am
Hadn’t heard of this mate. Sounds like the kind of thing I’d like, despite the flaws, so I’ll look out for it.
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October 21, 2014 at 9:02 pm
You’ll notice quite a few flaws, Stu but its still worth a watch. With little thrillers of this kind, I can often overlook it’s problems. Some were glaring but I have to admit to still liking it.
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October 22, 2014 at 1:48 am
Cheers, Mark:
You had me at Joe R. Lansdale. Been a fan of his since his early Sci-Fi and horror novels and novellas. And this film has hard scrabble Texas Noir writ large all over it.
Also be kind of cool to see Sam Sheppard as a conniving bad guy.
Nicely done!
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October 22, 2014 at 4:16 pm
Cheers Jack!
Yeah, like I mentioned to Michael earlier, I’ve never read any of Lansdale’s stuff but the genre is something I love (and sci-fi). I’ll definitely be checking him out. This was a good little flick and Shepard was strong throughout. As were Johnson and Michael C Hall.
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October 22, 2014 at 11:10 am
Your review prompted me to finally watch this. Good flick. Loved the score. The music reminded me more of 80’s Michael Mann (Thief, Manhunter) than John Carpenter. Nice to see Michael C. Hall breakout in something other than Dexter or Six Feet Under. The mullet was certainly memorable. Haven’t seen Sam Shepard in anything of note in forever. Like maybe since The Right Stuff. It reminded me of Blue Ruin a little bit if you’ve seen that. Other than the Coens it also reminded me of something John Dahl might have directed (Red Rock West, The Last Seduction, Kill Me Again). Coincidentally Dahl directed a ton of Dexter episodes. Yeah Mark, I agree with you, I couldn’t watch Dexter much past the promising first season.
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October 22, 2014 at 4:26 pm
Glad to hear you still take my opinion on board, Dave. 😉
I can see where you’re going with the scores of earlier Mann movies but I just couldn’t get Carpenter out my head.
Totally agree on John Dahl. He was delivering some tight little movies at one point. Loved his stuff but I haven’t seen a good flick from him in a while. It would seem that Tv is where he’s landed now.
I have seen Blue Ruin. Loved it. One of my favourites of the year so far and glad to hear that I’m not alone in struggling to catch onto Dexter. Despite the dark subject matter, I felt it was a little tame in comparison to other tv shows.
Cheers Dave, as always!
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October 22, 2014 at 7:55 pm
Solid entertainment isn’t it? Johnson especially is great. Nice work my man!
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October 22, 2014 at 8:20 pm
Thanks bro! Im actually being selective about what I review now (instead of reviewing everything I watched as i was before) and I wasn’t going to bother writing about it. However, effective little movies like this deserve some credit. I enjoyed it quite a bit and Johnson was on great form. I can see a good comeback from him these days.
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October 22, 2014 at 8:49 pm
Heckers, as long as we keep getting Marked Movies content!
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October 22, 2014 at 9:20 pm
Haha! I appreciate the appreciation, my man! Much obliged! 🙂
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November 6, 2014 at 8:58 pm
Great write up as always Mark. I missed this one during the EIFF sadly, but did catch the Q&A with Don Johnson. He’s quite a colourful character, let me tell ya :). Cold in July seems like one of many stylish Texan noir films that have been coming through of late. We Gotta Get Out of This Place and of course Blue Ruin being the others of mention. Despite what sounds like poor writing Ill give this one a shot.
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November 6, 2014 at 9:34 pm
Cheers, man! You caught a Q&A with Don Johnson? Nice one buddy.
I wasn’t actually even going to do a review of this (you can probably tell it’s rushed) but I felt I should give it some praise. The plot holes are the films biggest problem but it’s still stylish enough to warrant a viewing. It’s no Blue Ruin but decent all the same.
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