Blue with a Touch of Blood
Dwight Evans (Macon Blair), for what ever reason, has chosen to live life as a vagrant, sleeping in his blue ruin of a car and scavenging for food. But when a policewoman brings him in to inform him that someone is being released from prison it galvanizes his spirits. Despite no skills or experience Dwight makes it across country with vengeance in mind but is unprepared for the tit for tat repercussions of his actions and how it affects others but will force him to do.
I read a few reviews of "Blue Ruin" before I watched it because I had my suspicions as to what sort of movie this was and I suppose needed some convincing to watch. There was a theme to what I read in both the positive and negative reviews which was this was a stripped back, slow burning indie thriller and whilst it certainly packs a punch with some graphic scenes it isn't going to be for everyone especially those whose tastes reside firmly in the commercial brand of cinema.
Now "Blue Ruin" is not a complicated movie and simply focuses on Dwight seeking vengeance for something someone did to his family and things not going to plan. As such we get a series of developments from minor once such as a gun which Dwight stole ending up with a lock on he can't bust to major ones including the tit for tat revenge part. But what makes it more complicated or simply less easy to follow is that there is a non linear aspect to the movie as well, forcing you to concentrate on what is going on even when it feels like it is drifting a bit. Truth be told some of it works for me whilst some of it doesn't and I suppose that comes down to whilst I don't dislike indie movies my tastes swing more towards the mainstream.
Despite this one thing is very clear and Macon Blair makes Dwight a very ordinary guy whose desire for revenge outweighs his ability leading to a complex yet familiar characters. By that he plays him very much a shell of a man who having chosen to live a solitary life is good when it comes to talking with others. But what we also get is a man with hatred in his heart which leads to him carrying out a brutal act of revenge which shocks him but also highlights his everyman qualities with mistakes and a make it work nature.
What this all boils down to is that "Blue Ruin" is certainly an entertaining thriller with some graphic scenes and an interesting performance from Macon Blair. But it a stripped back thriller which isn't going to be to every one's taste especially with a distinct indie air about it.
