Cut Bank

Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Teresa Palmer, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bruce Dern, John Malkovich, Oliver Platt
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A guy (Liam Hemsworth) accidentally videotapes the murder of a postal worker in the small Montana town of Cut Bank.

Review:

Tim: Cut Bank is a film I missed upon initial release. I don't know if it was released in theaters- I think it had a Direct to TV/Internet release. I only learned about it when I watched a trailer before another movie and thought the cast was worth checking out. As you might expect, the film is fine- it's decent, but there's not a lot to get excited about. The cast is the biggest draw, the movie is average.

I actually enjoyed individual aspects of this movie. There's some interesting characters and decent performances. There's a bit of mystery that keeps you engaged. The problem is that when you add it all up, the total feels less than the sum of the parts. This is an average movie that you kind of shrug your shoulders at and start to forget. There's nothing especially wrong with Cut Bank, there's just not a lot right.

The cast is definitely the biggest reason to see the film. It's headlined by Liam Hemsworth, which was probably a mistake. I just don't see him as a leading man. He's a big too wooden and fails to connect with the audience. I certainly don't hate him, he just doesn't make for a compelling lead. Teresa Palmer was fine, but she might be a bit overrated as an actress. She has a few nice moments, but this was a mostly thankless role. Billy Bob Thornton was pretty reserved, but he manages a few nice scenes in a role that feels like it's firmly in his wheelhouse. Bruce Dern gives a good performance as an unlikable character. It's always fun to see Dern pop up. I liked John Malkovich as the town sheriff. He certainly played him un-heroically. It felt like an authentic performance. It was great seeing Oliver Platt in a smaller supporting role. He added a good bit to the film whenever he graced the screen. I thought Michael Stuhlbarg gave the best performance of the film in its most memorable role. As a whole, the movie is made better by the supporting cast.

The film is relatively short at only 93 minutes. Director Matt Shakman keeps the pace moving fairly well. Not everything that's thrown up on the screen is compelling, but the movie doesn't lull in too many places. For the most part, the mystery keeps the audience interested. I do wish there was a character I liked in the film. This is a surprisingly common occurrence. I didn't care about any of them. We have a selfish man looking to take a shortcut in life, a naive girl with low expectations, a man who is a bully, an inexperienced sheriff, a sleazy, self-obsessed governmental employee, an idiotic postal worker, etc. On the one hand, I appreciate giving characters flaws- it makes them feel more real. On the other hand, I wish there was at least one character I could about and root for. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and a big reason why I didn't like the movie more.

If you like small crime thrillers, Cut Bank is worth checking out. The cast alone makes this worth seeing. However, lower your expectations- this movie didn't get a theatrical release and there's a good reason for that.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



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