Film Reviews

Shotgun Stories

• Rating:
• Director: Jeff Nichols
• Starring: Michael Shannon
• Details: US / 90mins (15).

Bringing to mind The Milagro Beanfield War, which showed how one small action can spiral out of control and destroy all concerned, Shotgun Stories sees the lives of two families ripped apart when a man makes some disparaging remarks about his father at his funeral. Set in a small town somewhere in Arkansas, the three Hayes brothers – troubled Son (Shannon), cowardly Boy (Ligon) and hot-headed Kid (Jacobs) - were left by their uncaring father to be brought up by a mean-tempered mother. So indifferent to his sons, he gave them generic names and took up with a family across town, who prospered while the Hayes's floundered - Son's gambling has gotten worse and his wife leaves him, Boy lives in his van while Kid takes up residence in a tent in Son's back garden. When their father dies and Son lets loose at his funeral, the father's new family don't take too kindly to his 'eulogy' and a tit-for-tat revenge story takes shape. As if a Bruce Springsteen song (probably something off Nebraska) was adapted into a film, Shotgun Stories is a slow-burner bursting with low-key intensity. Written and directed by debutant Jeff Nichols, obviously a student of Terrence Malick, Shotgun Stories is in essence lovely writing, which something we don't get to say when it comes to film's visual medium. Richly drawn and balanced characterisation - backed up by effortlessly flawless performances by all concerned - flesh out an admittedly straightforward plot. Nichols is one for the future.

Review by Gavin Burke