Synopsis
A former rodeo star, now a motel manager, meets a young man who is responsible for the violence that suddenly has seized his small town.
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Cast
- Jon BernthalSam Rossi
- Christopher AbbottElwood
- Imogen PootsLila Mccabe
- Rosemarie DeWittBernadette Barrett
- Odessa YoungMaggie Russell
- Joseph Lyle TaylorTom Barrett
- Jonathan TuckerMitchel Mccabe
- Garry ChalkLou Hopkis
- Jared AbrahamsonPaul Anderson
- Gabrielle RoseRose Miller
Recommendations
- 90
Variety
It’s this strange alchemy — the way that a terse script can leave so much unsaid, combined with such a talented ensemble’s ability to suggest all the details left either in silence or in darkness — that makes “Sweet Virginia” such a haunting character study. - 90
Village Voice
The concepts Sweet Virginia explore through this setup — lives intersecting after a tragedy in a small town and a dangerous outsider tearing through a community — aren’t new for noir or westerns, but the understated, intense performances of Dagg’s cast make this slow burner a standout. - 88
ReelViews
As with most slow-burn neo-noir movies, Sweet Virginia thrives on atmosphere. It oozes it from every frame. - 80
The New York Times
A twisty, small-town thriller that blooms in the shadows and shies from the light, “Sweet Virginia” marshals a relentlessly threatening mood from dangerous secrets and unpleasant surprises. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
What director Jamie M. Dagg achieves with his slow burn of a second feature is a total immersion in end-of-the-line atmosphere, with four superb central performances bringing archetypal intrigue to life. - 75
IndieWire
The film is gripping from start to finish, even when so much of its menace rings hollow. - 70
Los Angeles Times
Dagg (who previously made the very good chase picture “River”) tries too hard to give the material a highbrow frame. The movie is dimly lighted and hushed to a fault. But the China brothers’ script is strong, and Dagg elicits terrific performances from Abbott, Bernthal and Poots. - 67
The Playlist
A movie that forgoes solid storytelling for an atmosphere that keeps you captivated, director Jamie M. Dagg has made a film that plays with genres from neo-noir to thriller to even horror.
