Review of Cold in July (2014) by Ola G — 02 Oct 2015

In 1989, in the east of Texas, Ann Dane (Vinessa Shaw) overhears a noise during the night and awakes her husband Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall). He accidentally shoots the intruder, Freddy Russell, a wanted felon. Richard is shaken by the experience but attempts to move on with his life. Richard visits the cemetery on the day of Freddy's burial where Freddy's father, Ben Russel (Sam Shepard) - a paroled convict-accosts Richard in his car, making a veiled reference to Richard's son, Jordan. Alarmed, Richard picks up Jordan from school and arranges for Ann to meet them at the police station. Ben follows him but the police decline Richard's request for help until the Danes' house is broken into again. With the house now under police protection, the intruder-who has been hiding in the house crawlspace since the initial break-in-knocks out the guard and hides in Jordan's room, locking the door. He escapes to a nearby river and is tracked to Mexico, where he is finally apprehended. The police invite Richard to the station to close the case and Richard notices a wanted poster for "Frederick Russell", who looks different from the man that he shot. Richard attempts to point out the contradiction officer Ray Price, but Ray dismisses this as a trick of memory due to shock and refuses to discuss the possibility, repeatedly. Richard sees Ben taken away in an unmarked police car, which he follows. He sees the police forcibly remove Ben from the car; they inject him with an unknown substance, leave him on train tracks and splash him with alcohol. Richard sees a train approaching and saves Ben who does not believe Richard's claims that the man he shot was not Freddy. They exhume Freddy's grave and Ben confirms that the man inside is not his son. Ben notes that the top-half of the man's fingers have been cut off to prevent identification. Ray Price visits Richard at work and claims that Freddy changed his appearance to avoid capture, explaining the discrepancy in the wanted poster. Richard is also visited by Jim Bob Luke (Don Johnson) - a private investigator known by Ben - who learns that Fred Russell is tied to several news stories about the shooting death of a burglar. Jim theorizes that after Freddy became involved with the Dixie Mafia, he was caught by Federal investigators, who faked Freddy's death and placed him in Witness Protection in exchange for information. Jim, Richard and Ben learn that Freddy might be living in Houston as "Frank Miller" and attempt to meet him at home. Instead they find home videos which turn out to be snuff films featuring Freddy Russell beating a prostitute to death with a baseball bat. Richard wants take the tape to the police but Jim believes the police know about the videos but are unconcerned; Freddy is far more valuable as an informant against the Dixie Mafia and the prostitutes are illegal immigrants whom no one will miss. Ben resolves to kill his own son at any cost...

"Cold in July" is a pulpy violent "80´s" neo-noir thriller with high tension and true darkness played in seedy environments on the outskirts of society. The foundation might not be entirely unique, but it´s about what director Jim Mickle makes of the storyline and the performances from the ensemble. Michael C. Hall in a mullet and stringy moustache puts on a performance unlike his character Dexter, but the longer the movie runs the action of Richard make less and less sense. He goes from being an ordinary family man with his own business and being terrified of the consequences from his intruder killing to joining Ben and Jim Bob Luke on a bloody shooting rampage in a blink of a eye. I had a bit of a problem with that as it´s not believable in my eyes. Sam Shepard and Don Johnson adds weight in the film and both goes full on in their characters in this uneven alliance. The soundtrack choices adds of course to the 80s feeling and atmosphere. "Cold in July" delivers what you´d expect it to deliver despite some plotholes and an uneven story structure.