Synopsis
When an overachieving college senior makes a wrong turn, her road trip becomes a life-changing fight for survival in rural Kentucky.
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Cast
- Hermione CorfieldSawyer
- Jay PaulsonLowell
- Sean O'BryanSheriff O'Doyle
- Micah A. HauptmanHollister
- Daniel R. HillBuck
- Jeremy GlazerKatz
- John Marshall JonesSlattery
- Jake KidwellJosh
- Virginia SchneiderDonna
- Denise Dal VeraMrs. Gander
- 80
Film Threat
As Sawyer, Hermione Corfield is probably the most famous of the film’s cast. She is the film’s solid foundation and carries it to the finale. She’s believable, strong, and sympathetic. - 75
ReelViews
Rust Creek, an uneven but ultimately satisfying thriller from indie director Jen McGowan, seamlessly blends horror and thriller elements across its 108-minute running time. - 70
New York Magazine (Vulture)
Rust Creek lets you exhale just a bit. It’s tight without being punishing, and its humor takes you happily by surprise. In this sort of film, you’re on guard for pop-up scares and sudden spasms of gore, not for moments of blessed connection. The humanism feels positively radical. - 67
The Playlist
Tense, relatable, and cut from a familiar narrative cloth, Rust Creek manages to overcome a few character and pacing issues to emerge as a quality thriller. - 67
The A.V. Club
Screenwriter Julie Lipson’s well-written, naturalistic dialogue helps pass the time, as does Michelle Lawler’s lovely scenic cinematography. But although what we get instead stands on its own merits, this survival thriller could have used a few more thrills. - 60
Los Angeles Times
Too many scenes run longer than they need to, padded out with overly folksy and reflective dialogue. But McGowan makes good use of autumnal Appalachia, staging a lot of scenes outdoors in the barren, brown hills. - 58
The Film Stage
These characters are sufficiently complex and intertwined to remain interesting, but how they interact can be uninspiring. - 50
Movie Nation
The violent payoffs are well-staged and edited, and the archetypes solid. But McGowan can’t force herself or her cast to just get on with what they know they must get on with. The “Creek” never quite dries up, but we never get to the rapids either.