I’ve got a lot to say about this film, so get ready. Having not seen the original 1971 film with Dustin Hoffman, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. The small moments I accidentally caught from trailers on TV only led me to believe it was going to be violent. I did have someone tell me that they were told it was touted as the “scariest movie of the year.” I’ll admit, I was pretty excited about that. It didn’t seem like horror, just intense, and throwing in Alexander Skarsgård certainly helped.
Director Rod Lurie wrote the screenplay which is based on the novel “The Siege of Trencher’s Farm” by Gordon Williams. In his re-telling of Straw Dogs, a young couple, David (James Marsden, X-Men) and Amy (Kate Bosworth, Superman Returns) move from L.A. back to Amy’s hometown in Blackwater, Mississippi and cross paths with Amy’s high school boyfriend, Charlie (Alexander Skarsgård, HBO’s True Blood), and his crew. From the beginning it’s obvious that David is doomed because of his “city” ways, fancy car and large bank account. He’s basically got a target on his back but he thinks he’s just blending in and tries to work on his script. Meanwhile, Amy, having purposely left this town after high school, is trying to come to terms with getting back into the small town culture she grew up with. I think you know where this is going.
So what is the actual story? What’s the hook? Well, to tell you the truth, I’m still not quite sure. I can see how it could have been something about how one man stands up to protect his home or some crap like that, but I don’t buy it at all. That does not work for what I saw. What I saw was the story of a girl (yes, girl) who doesn’t bother to tell her husband ANYTHING about the town she grew up in before moving back. Seriously. “Ok, honey, this is a small town where everyone knows everyone. You’re going to be the new guy, so they’ll be picking on you. Be respectful and try not to step on anyone’s toes until we get settled.” How hard would that have been?? She should have been preparing him the entire ride there. Oh, there’s something. Who in the world would want to drive across the country, in the middle of the summer, in a little tiny Jaguar? Do you know how hot convertibles are? It’s blistering. Not to mention how messed up your hair gets. But I digress.
Kate Bosworth as Amy the young wife. Ok, nothing spectacular, but her character was written so terribly. She should cut off that ex-boyfriend right from the beginning. Amy-cakes? What the hell? You’re letting your ex-boyfriend call you “Amy-cakes” in front of your husband? Come on. Her husband David wasn’t written as badly, but I think the casting of James Marsden really got in the way. He isn’t puny enough. He put on some glasses, but they were really thin and it seemed like they were trying to make him nerdy, but it was really coming off as more metrosexual. He was bad at confrontation, but instead of coming off as against violence, it just seemed like he was a wimp.
I know I’m biased, but I really liked Alexander Skarsgård as the ex-boyfriend, Charlie. He was able to pull off a slight southern accent and it was convincing. He was also really good at being charming, yet aggressive. His physical presence was well matched against James Marsden, he basically towered over him. As one of the members of Charlie’s crew, Norman (Rhys Coiro, HBO’s Entourage), was surprisingly creepy and fantastic. Who knew Billy Walsh could do that? Damn.
James Woods who played Coach, was very one-dimensional and sad. I kept waiting for an explanation of why he was such a jerk. Yeah, he’s a retired Coach who’s an alcoholic. Yeah, his wife recently died and now he’s over-protective of this teenage daughter. Oh, and no small town story would be complete without the town “crazy” or in this case a guy who’s mentally challenged, Jeremy (Dominic Purcell, Fox’s Prison Break). He seems to have molested a young girl or something, but it’s never explained. Alright, so another thing. Jeremy’s brother is very briefly introduced and it’s Walter Goggins (Aliens VS Predators, FX’s Justified). This guy is way beyond these roles. I wonder why he took it. Perhaps his part was cut? That is quite possible.
I know that without conflict, there are no good stories, but this went beyond common sense in so many aspects. Amy wants to leave, but doesn’t tell her husband why. What is she afraid of? It’s not like her husband is a maniac and she doesn’t know how he’ll react. He’d probably do the sensible thing and file a damn police report. Or better yet, LEAVE. Hire a damn broker and sell the place.
The first hour or so I was just waiting for some sort of plot to surface. It couldn’t just be as simple as this couple being harassed and they fight back? Oh, wait, it is. The final scene started and I was completely disappointed. Yeah, there’s some really crazy violence, but it just seemed to serve no other purpose than shock. I wasn’t really afraid at all, it was more terrified for what horrific act would happen next, a la, Saw. Audiences will probably eat it up just for the last part that is intense and graphic, but really doesn’t deliver much else.
Wide release by Screen Gems, Rated R, 109 minutes.
Rating: Intense for the violence, not the storytelling. 3/10
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