Small town Arkansas police chief Bill Paxton waits for an extremely violent trio from Los Angeles to show up in town. Two members of the gang were born there and were coming home.
In an early scene, Paxton talks on the phone with LA detectives. I don't know if the character was trying to sound folksy and Andy Griffith-like or if he couldn't help it. The detectives seem more amused than annoyed. I was just annoyed.
When Los Angeles detectives arrive, Paxton's character shows some Barney Fife-like qualities, excited to be working with police from the big city. But there's a scene where the detectives see right through him and ask how well he knew the female suspect.
I realized I had seen this thing in the 1990's. It was intended as a straight-to-video movie but turned out so well that it was released to theaters. Siskel & Ebert loved it.
Extremely violent. Stripped down plot. Starts with a mass murder.
With Billy Bob Thorton, Cynda Williams and Michael Beach. They drive a lovely early '60's Lincoln Continental which they trade in for a Ford Torino.
Written by Thornton and Tom Epperson.
Directed by Carl Franklin.
I remember Franklin from the 1977 sci-fi series The Fantastic Journey. After that, he studied directing and made four films for Roger Corman before making this movie.
The Fantastic Journey featured '70's teen sensation Ike Eisenmann who went on to work for the company that did the ADR work for this movie.
Available on the Criterion Channel.
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