When a protective father meets a murderous ex-con, both need to deviate from the path they are on as they soon find themselves entangled in a downwards spiral of lies and violence while having to confront their own inner psyche.

----------------------------------------
Joe Chadowski from United States
----------------------------------------

This dirty little piece of Texas pulp rides the fine line of art of trash with brilliant composure as its dark script teases you with how far it'll go. The seed is planted when an everyman kills an intruder in his home, and the story spins wildly out of control from there. The story moves forward at a brisk pace and never looks back. Sure that means there are as many holes as there are unanswered questions, but such is the case with pulp. You gotta live in the now, man. In the end, I'm still not sure how to process what I've seen, and I've gained no further insight or knowledge about myself, the world, or humanity. And I wouldn't have it any other way

----------------------------------------
t-bone53 from United States
----------------------------------------

While the acting in this movie is very good and Sam Shepard's character evolves, there are major plot lines that just get dropped. It reminds me of Charlie's Angels episodes that don't make sense and we're supposed to not worry about that and just think they are cool. Same here.

The statements I'm about to write could be called "spoilers" but they are not really because they don't matter. The whole middle of movie is about bad cops that tell Michael Hall that he killed Sam Shepard's son even though he really didn't in order to draw Sam Shepard to town so that they can kill him. Do we find out why the cops did that? No. Do the cops get pay back? No. Later, there is a big deal made about the Dixie mafia and what bad asses they are. Do the characters confront or even see the Dixie mafia? No. And the big stated reason why Michael Hall needs to leave his wife and kid to help Sam Shepard is to find out who he really killed. Does he ever find out? No.

There is a main plot that I have not revealed, so there is something to this movie. But all this other stuff really seemed pointless.

----------------------------------------
Ajit Tiwari from India
----------------------------------------

A neo-noir directed by Jim Micklee based on a novel by Joe Lansdale, a dark, grim and gritty tale of retaliation and retributions. The ramifications of a murder, lead to the carnage and involved people can go at any length. This is not your usual thriller but a compelling mysterious story which keeps us at the edge of our seats.

Set in 1989 Texas, Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) a common family man, one night defensively guns down an intruder. The police quickly identify the corpse as a wanted criminal and bury him. Richard still feels the remorse of killing a human being and goes to the cemetery where the dead man's father Ben Russell (Sam Shepard) threatens to kill Richard's young son. In order to save his family Richard takes police help however consequently he unfolds some secrets, now Richard and Ben will take the assistance of a brash private detective, Jim Bob (Dan Johnson), to crawl to the core of Richard's uncertainty.

The narrative is paced with lots of twists and turns to keep us engaged throughout the run time of 150 minutes. The minute details of 80's Texas are just impeccable. The screenplay will keep you on your toes as the tension builds subsequently. The overwhelming final shot portrays a brutal and stylized violent scene which is fresh and instinctual. However, some of the details are missing here as the some unexplained loose ends which are not tied and there should have been a better female cast.

The performances are brilliant, Hall is stellar as a protective family man and the transformation his character is immaculate. Shepard is remarkable as a distressed father, looking for his son. Johnson is a scene stealer having as much fun as anyone can within such confine.

Cold in July is a captivating experience with tense and unsettling tone. The independent cinema is at its best.

My Vite 7.5/10

----------------------------------------
lboyajianpatterson from Fort Lauderdale
----------------------------------------

This is a very well made film, It's taunt, suspenseful and has you sitting on the edge of your seat. It's a story thats believable with twists and unexpected turns.

Michael Hall was wonderful as the gay undertaker in 6 Feet Under, then as the emotionless killer in Dexter. He is excellent as the caring, protective father who accidentally kills an intruder and is unwillingly to be given the mantle of hero.

When Sam Shepard comes after him, it's easy to think that logical consequences should play out but compassion steps in and that's where the story takes off in a different direction.

You will be glued to your seat and with the music perfectly and simply building the tension, in walks the fabulous character, and much needed comic relief of Don Johnson. I never thought much of Don Johnson that this role is outstanding. I think that often there is a role in a movie that is so unusual and outstanding that you should see the whole movie for it, and his role is such a role.

He really should get a supporting actor nominee for his perfect portrayal of this offbeat character.

The movie is a puzzle and the pieces all fit together. There are three great performances of the male leads, and the performance of the wife is very good as well. There were some clever touches to create a film noir feel to this film when certain scenes would subtly go to black and white.

This is a well crafted, well acted, not to be missed film, though if you're seeking light and breezy, this isn't it.

----------------------------------------
trublu215 from United States
----------------------------------------

Cold In July marks the fourth and most mature feature for director Jim Mickle, bringing electric performances and palpable suspense to an otherwise unoriginal premise. What sets this film apart from other films like it, such as Cape Fear, is the performances. Michael C. Hall gives one hell of a performance, letting the audience see a vastly different side of him. He generates a leading man quality in this film that, in my opinion, he has never done before. From the straight-out-of-the-80s mullet, to the tight Wrangler jeans, Hall fits the mold of an ordinary man from small town Texas in the 80s and does so very subtly without us ever thinking to ourselves that this man was Dexter. As much as I liked Hall's performance in this film, Sam Shepard and Don Johnson steal the film. Without giving too much away, Shepard and Johnson are two of the seediest dirty characters not in a Rob Zombie film. Each scene between Shepard and Hall generates a palpable tension that would be difficult to do with any other actors in their parts, respectfully. The story is interesting from jump street, its a familiar type of story but it has so many great twists and turns that you can't help but fall in love with it. The score here is also immersing. It rings back to Blood Simple, or John Carpenter's Halloween. It really throws us right into 1989 and does so with such grace that it really needs some attention. Jim Mickle proves here that he is a director to be reckoned with. As a fan of his previous films, Stakeland and We Are What We Are, I was excited to see this film. However, walking out of Cold In July made me ecstatic to see what he does next. Overall, Cold In July is brutal, unrelenting backwoods mayhem with great performances and plot twists galore. It definitely lives up to the hype and I highly recommend it.

----------------------------------------
faithfulservantseoul2014
----------------------------------------

I am baffled by the good reviews here. I have never seen a movie that looked so much as if the original director and screenwriter had given up halfway through, leaving others to finish the job any old how. I am not someone to get bothered by plot holes here and there, but Cold in July has yawning plot chasms and a jarring tonal shift mid-movie that deprive the main character of any plausible motivation for following the secondary characters around. A man in a taut, grim, hyper-realistic movie, who will do anything to protect his wife and kid, suddenly morphs halfway through into a man in a light-hearted adventure lark, who will risk his own life and thus the livelihood of his family in order to see justice done in a distant town. Let me just give one very minor spoiler that will not ruin the movie for those who have not seen it yet. Imagine that an ex-felon breaks into your house while you are away, and enters your little child's empty bedroom, leaving a symbolic threat against the kid that terrifies you and your wife. I believe no father would ever forgive a man for that, let alone forgive him at a moment's notice because he feels like breaking out of his rut and hunting down some bad guys who have nothing to do with him. I also believe no ex-felon who would behave so cruelly to a child's mother would suddenly turn out to be a good guy. The acting is great, no question, and I too was happy to see Don Johnson again. (He has aged well, and his voice is not so high-pitched and annoying anymore.) But I have never seen a movie that did such a bad job of motivating its characters.

----------------------------------------
TommyT14 from United Kingdom
----------------------------------------

The cast fit the roles perfectly, Michael C Hall performance grows as his character evolves during the film, Sam Shepard plays it cool throughout and Don Johnson, my favourite character, as the private detective is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise intense, gritty thriller.

The overall 80s theme is apparent throughout, the soundtrack by Jeff Grace is very similar to that of a John Carpenter score.

I went into this film with quite high expectations after watching the trailer, the story line kept me on my toes with plenty of twists and turns i wasn't expecting at all, a killer soundtrack, awesome cast and an indie look and feel about it similar to the film 'Drive' – Cold in July certainly didn't disappoint. Well worth a watch!

7.5/10

----------------------------------------
wilson trivino from United States
----------------------------------------

When reading the sensational headlines in the news you can't but come up with an opinion of innocents and guilt. This movie Cold in July will make you think twice. A remarkable good movie that has the storyline of more a made for television movie than on the big screen. The story starts off as protective father kills an intrusive ex-con in his house. Suddenly he becomes a local home town hero for gun rights and the power of the second amendment. When the dead con's father appears the tables turn as the father is now being watched closely. Don Johnson plays Jim Bob, a ex-special investigator that helps get to the bottom of things and put clarity in a muddy situation. This story has many twist and turns, and no matter how you think it is going to end, it veers the other way. A very good movie. I went in not expecting that.

----------------------------------------
Adam Peters from Birkenhead United Kingdom
----------------------------------------

(89%) One of those great little movies that will sadly get seen by far too few, and although it is not a 100% slab of solid gold, it's still a really damn good piece of storytelling. First of all the 1980's style soundtrack is sublime, a true contender for the best of the year without a shadow of doubt. The performances couldn't be much better, Michael C. Hall is perfect as the mullet headed everyman caught in a very tricky spot, and Don Johnson breathes a breath of fresh air into the second half. The direction is focused and unfussy. While the story is fantastically well paced as it twists and turns almost constantly, I just cannot recommend this enough. A must-watch American future classic that's worth the time, effort, and money watching properly at the cinema, so do so, you won't regret it.

----------------------------------------
Red-Barracuda from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
----------------------------------------

Cold in July is a Texas neo-noir set in 1989. A man called Richard Dane kills an intruder in his home one night. The victim's dad subsequently turns up and starts hassling Dane and his family. The police get involved but things begin to take a turn for the unpredictable when it soon becomes apparent that the dead man isn't who he appears to be. This leads to a spiral of very dark secrets.

What makes this one work so well is a combination of a great trio of performances and the 80's retro styling. Of the former we have Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard and Don Johnson as a motley crew of sleuths bent on discovering the truth and ultimately meting out violent retribution. The three actors work well together in portraying their uneasy alliance. While the aforementioned 80's setting is great too. The soundtrack is a combination of some choice 80's hard rock and some neo-electro 80's styling synth music to score the film and build atmosphere. It works highly in the movie's favour and gives it a cool sheen while seeming entirely appropriate given the era depicted.

The story-line is a mixture of fairly familiar things you probably have encountered in these types of movies before and I'm not going to reveal too much of what lies ahead as it's best to go into these types of films with as little foreknowledge as possible. But it is the way that these standard elements have been presented on screen that makes them work so well, as well as the aforementioned acting and 80's setting. There are a few loose ends in the story and some aspects that you will require to suspend your disbelief at a little. But this is hardly a new thing when it comes to pulpy thrillers. The important thing is that Cold in July is a superior example of this kind of thing. It's very involving throughout and makes its generic material seem fresh, which is easier said than done.

based on novel|neo 80s|mariachi band|target shooting|witness protection|home invasion|father son relationship|month in title|three word title|snuff film|

AKAs Titles:


Certifications:
Hong Kong:IIB / Ireland:16 / Singapore:NC16 / Singapore:M18 (Blu-ray) / South Korea:18 / UK:15 / USA:R