Blue Ruin | Geekscape

July has officially arrived and we’re entrenched in the dog days of summer. And as far as the DVD prospects landing on shelves this month, there aren’t any groundbreaking titles like I mentioned June, but there are definitely a few enjoyable selections. Here are the top three DVD releases for the month of July:

#1. Cuban Fury

Although leading star Nick Frost’s re-tweet of my review immediately boosted Cuban Fury to the most visited post of the year on my site, I give you my word that there is no bias to this selection. Cuban Fury is a legitimate laugh out loud comedy backed by stellar performances and a hilariously penned screenplay. After the arrival of their attractive new female boss (played by Rashida Jones), co-workers Bruce (Frost) and the overly confident Drew (Chris O’Dowd) compete for her affection through salsa dancing. With affable characters and a breakthrough supporting turn from Kayvan Novak that spews non-stop hilarity, Cuban Fury is an entertaining comedy that begins and ends without a hiccup. (July 29th)

#2. Blue Ruin

Having missed an opportunity to catch Jeremy Saulnier’s Blue Ruin at the 2013 Philadelphia Film Festival, I pounced on the opportunity at Sundance in January. Macon Blair stars as Dwight, a homeless recluse who re-opens a dark past when he seeks vengeance on a recently paroled man. Gripping, tense and well-shot, Blue Ruin dishes out all the essential ingredients to a successful revenge movie. Elements of gore and violence are tastefully used throughout this well-paced and slow burning thriller. It surely isn’t a film intended for all types of audiences, but fans of the genre will consider Macon Blair’s fine performance and the entire feature as a welcome addition. (July 22nd)

#3. Noah

Please allow me to preface my recommendation by clearing up the fact that Darren Aronofsky’s Noah is a completely off-kilter and bizarre interpretation of the biblical tale. In many ways this story of Noah incorporates a surprising amount of fantasy reminiscent of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It’s peculiar and odd as well as unique and imaginative. After a good-hearted and honest man named Noah (Russell Crowe) receives visions of a flood meant to destroy the evils of mankind, he and his family begin to build an ark in hopes of surviving the storm and preserving life on earth. I found the film to be a bit divisive and almost a combination of two separate movies. While the first half breeds a strange vision of the age-old story, the second half of the feature explores what happens after the flood, a captivating journey into the psyche of these few survivors. Darren Aronofsky’s Noah is worth a try if you’re open to an unpredictable twist on the well-known biblical tale. (July 29th)

Honorable Mention: Other titles arriving to DVD this month include a few that I haven’t seen but look forward to viewing, such as Jonathan Glazer’s sci-fi mystery Under the Skin (7/15) starring Scarlett Johansson, Richard Shepard’s crime comedy Dom Hemingway (7/22) starring Jude Law, and even the critically panned directorial debut from Wally Pfister Transcendence (7/22) with Johnny Depp. Action junkies will be thrilled to hear that The Raid 2 hits shelves on 7/8, and a few mediocre titles that were enjoyed by others include Jason Bateman’s spelling bee comedy Bad Words (7/8) and the chick-flick The Other Woman (7/29) with Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann.

Audiences and press have come to expect an abundance of slow-burning dramas playing throughout the Sundance Film Festival. Park City’s movie-mecca is rarely known for dishing out revenge thrillers, but this year they’ve got one worth flaunting.

Macon Blair stars as Dwight, a homeless man rummaging through the Delaware shore-line eating out of trash bins and sleeping in his car. His big bushy beard and out-stretched baggy clothes give off a downtrodden and dismal appearance. But when a friendly local officer informs Dwight that a man from his past is being released from prison, the homeless man seeks vengeance against the parolee.

Blue Ruin is a revenge-film done right. Its main character is flawed and perhaps unjust in his pursuit, but you still helplessly root for him. Macon Blair perfectly portrays the odd and few-of-words protagonist. Blair feels like an ideal fit for the role and his excellent performance should certainly pave the way for future roles, but we’ll just have to wait and see on the diversity of his skill set. Another welcoming turn comes from Devin Ratray, a 2013 familiar face. Ratray has most recently impressed with his fine work as one of Will Forte’s character’s twin-cousins in Alexander Payne’s Nebraska. Here he plays a war veteran who offers his services to Dwight, a close friend from their days in high school. Despite its collection of fine performances, Blue Ruin also benefits from a well-paced script that delivers on the gore and violence, an absolute must for any successful revenge-flick.

More than just a bunching of stellar aspects regarding movies of its breed, Blue Ruin has a strong story with a voice. The film’s message of vengeance being a never-ending cycle is brilliantly executed. Writer/director Jeremy Saulnier paints a bleak picture, but it’s one that resonates. This somber feature also transcends past the stereotypical bloody revenge-thriller by incorporating a darkly comedic undertone that plays well. Not only does Blue Ruin generate tension and suspense, it’s guaranteed to elicit a surprising amount of laughs. All of which play to its favor.

Although Jeremy Saulnier’s Blue Ruin is far from unblemished, it’s a highly entertaining and extremely engaging feature. Surely it has some weak dialogue and unrealistic situations, but they become easy to overlook in order to appreciate the essence of Blue Ruin.

GRADE: 4/5

Tag: Blue Ruin

In Case You Missed It – July 2014

Geekscape Sundance Reviews: Blue Ruin