Richard Dane is a family man who owns a framing
shop in a
small Texas town. He shoots a burglar in his home and everyone
considers him a hero, but soon Richard brings the attention of the burglar’s
father Ben who wants revenge. They both
find out nothing is as it seems as he finds out the man he shot may not be
Ben’s son and he rescues Ben from being killed on the train tracks after the
cops capture Ben. Ben recruits the help
of an old war buddy named Jim Bob who is a private detective/ pig farmer. Ben
searches for the truth and to find his
son he missed out while in prison. COLD
IN JULY starts out as nothing special, but it soon turns into a great neo-noir
Western as Richard, Ben, and Jim Bob search for the truth and know justice in
the old Western type of way. The scene
stealer is Don Johnson in his supporting turn as Jim Bob (and it makes you wish
they make a movie focusing on Jim Bob, but you will probably see him again if
the Hap and Leonard TV series gets made for the Sundance Channel). Jim
Mickle’s neo-noir western makes me want
to go read more of Joe Lansdale’s novels.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Audio commentary with Jim Mickle, Michael C.
Hall, and Nick
Damici
Audio commentary with Kim Mickle and composer
Jeff Grace
Isolated score track by Jeff Grace
Eight deleted scenes with optional audio commentary
of some
scenes I wish they left in the movie including the FBI subplot
Early previsualization tests with optional audio
commentary
Screening Q& A with Jim Mickle, Joe Lansdale,
and George
R.R. Martin (who is a guest in the front row of the audience)- Jim Mickle
and author Joe Lansdale answer
questions about the film, the story, the casting, and more.
Theatrical trailer for COLD IN JULY and previews
for other IFC
Films releases
FINAL ANALYSIS: After the so-so first half hour,
COLD IN
JULY becomes a real good neo-noir Western and I really want to see Don Johnson
return as Jim Bob for another movie (since his supporting turn steals every
scene he is in).
This review is ©10-4-2014
David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments
to feedback@enterline-media.com
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