There are a few moments that literally caused me to gasp in genuine surprise.
I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I sat down to watch Blue Ruin. A friend, who’s taste in movies I trust implicitly, recommended it to me and that was all I needed. In writing this review, I worry about robbing my readers of the experience of watching this film with no expectations. So, if you don’t want to continue reading this review in fear of spoiling anything, at least walk away knowing this: Blue Ruin is a film that’s definitely worth seeing.
As the film opens, we are introduced to Dwight, a homeless man living out of his car. We see him scrounging for food and recycling litter for a little bit of cash. When a policewoman approaches him, he thinks he’s in trouble. She merely wants to give him a bit of bad news. Someone is getting out of prison soon and she wanted to be the first to tell him.
From Dwight’s reaction, we can see that this information shakes him to his core. He immediately begins making preparations for an encounter. Of particular interest is acquiring a pistol. We then see him park his car outside the jail as the mystery person is released. It becomes clear that revenge is his goal. For what and why, I will leave to you to discover.
Blue Ruin was written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier (Green Room.) The script gives viewers no more information than they need as the film progresses. It doles out the story line with increasingly more enticing (and sometimes brutal) morsels to keep you interested.
Macon Blair’s performance as Dwight is the key to the movie’s success at keeping things moving along. It’s obvious from his actions that the character is deeply troubled but also intelligent. He doesn’t have to say much to convey Dwight’s feelings. In fact, in one conversational scene, he says “I’m not used to talking this much” as his face registers his awkwardness and discomfort. It becomes blatantly obvious that, although Dwight is a resourceful character, he’s not a killer. As Dwight commits himself to making progressively more difficult decisions (and quite a few mistakes), I completely bought into the movie’s stingy storytelling.
Saulnier’s direction keeps the suspense taut throughout the film. Since it takes three-quarters of the film’s running time to get a clear picture of what’s happening, one is never sure quite what to expect. There are a few moments that literally caused me to gasp in genuine surprise. That’s a high compliment for any thriller.
Blue Ruin deserves all the acclaim it can garner. Highly recommended.
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
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