Rebel Ridge
(MA). 131 minutes. Now streaming on Netflix.
Six years after his last film, the underrated 2018 thriller Hold The Dark (that strangely went straight to Netflix), writer/director Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room) returns with Rebel Ridge, which unfortunately has suffered the same fate, relegated to the streaming giant instead of being shown on the big screen, where it should be seen. Aaron Pierre (who replaced John Boyega early in production) plays Terry Richmond, who is frantically cycling into a small American town to put up bail money for his incarcerated cousin.
With music blaring through his headphones, Terry doesn’t realise that a police car is in pursuit, with the officer deliberately knocking him of his bike to end the unknowing chase.
The two officers, Evan Marston (David Denman) and Steve Lann (Emory Cohen) find the $30,000 bail money, which they confiscate under vague property seizure laws. Infuriated at his treatment, Terry goes to the town’s police station to report it, but encounters resistance from Chief Sandy Burne (Don Johnson), suggesting that corruption might be rife within the force. Terry is offered support by court clerk Summer McBride (Anna Sophia Robb), helping him weave through layers of legal red tape.
As options appear to run dry, Terry will have to take more forceful action.
Saulnier, who also edits, builds everything with measured precision, though his love for 80’s action movies shines through (imagine if Sylvester Stallone’s First Blood was made as a slow-burn thriller, where there was a more expansive examination of local behaviour, lawful complications and corruption), with a number of expertly staged scenes of mayhem and violence.
A first-rate technical crew help bring Saulnier’s vision to convincing life.
Adding to the story’s compelling nature is a gallery of strong performances.
Pierre is outstanding, while Johnson continues his terrific run in recent years with another great turn.
Other standouts are Robb, Denman and Cohen. Those wanting non-stop visceral thrills will become impatient with Rebel Ridge, and will most likely consider the overall result disappointing, but Saulnier is an intelligent film-maker who deftly merges the impactful with the serene, and like his work on Hold The Dark, is becoming more and more ambitious.
RATING – ****

My Old Ass
(M). 89 minutes. Now showing in selected cinemas.
Despite its silly title, which may prove misleading to some movie-goers (as I’m sure happened with Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott’s hilarious Bottoms), this is an utterly charming, very entertaining comedy/drama, taking a familiar set-up and doing something emotionally satisfying with it.
Eighteen year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella) is making the most of her last summer at home, before going off to college.
Boating to a nearby island, Elliott, along with longtime friends Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler) and Ro (Kerrice Brooks), indulge in a mushroom trip, and it is during this hallucinogenic experience Elliott has a surprise visitor; her 39 year-old future self (Aubrey Plaza).
The two talk over the course of the evening, with younger Elliott asking many questions, questions that older Elliott is hesitant to answer, fearing it might upset the universal balance.
She does however, tell younger Elliott to stay away from guys named Chad.
Over the coming days, Elliott will meet someone named Chad (Percy Hynes White), the young man employed to work on her family’s cranberry farm, but through follow-up phone conversations with the older Elliott, will also begin to reflect on both who she is, and how truly precious time is, especially when spending it with those around her.
Writer/director Megan Park (The Fallout) approaches the high concept premise in a naturalistic manner, allowing the characters to develop nicely, with no relationship feeling forced or artificial.
Park’s delicate script is bolstered by a strong cast, with Stella, Plaza (who is only in a couple of scenes), White, Brooks, Ziegler and Maria Dizzia (as Elliott’s mother) all delivering fine performances.
My Old Ass is a delight, and deserves to find a sizeable audience.
RATING – ****

• Aaron Rourke