Cold in July, Summer 2014

Jim Mickle’s latest noir is an ultra-violent piece of pulp fiction: a satisfying combination of retro-thrills, careful and unpretentious film-making and watertight lead performances

Adapted from Joe Lansdale’s cult novel and set in the 80s, Cold In July tells the story of family man Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) who, defending his household from an intruder, shoots a man dead to protect his family. When the deceased’s ex-con father Ben (Sam Shepard) rolls into town, intent on revenge, Richard must face up to the new threat posed to his family.

An official entry to the Sundance Film Festival, Cold In July is directed by Mickle (cannibal flick We Are What We Are) whose previous feature Stake Land won the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness award. 

Mickle was intent that the tone of his film should correspond to action movies of the past, no superheroes smashing through skyscrapers but, as the movie touted itself at Sundance, ‘one where every punch and shotgun blast opens up both physical and spiritual wounds’. In Mickle, critics have found a new John Carpenter, masterful director of 80s cult classics as The Thing and Halloween.

The cast matches the earthiness of the script. Hollywood legend Sam Shepard, former seminal playwright turned actor, brings weight to the production. If you enjoyed the gritty portrayals of his characters in Mud, Killing Them Softly and Out of the Furnace you are sure to be engrossed. Meanwhile Michael C. Hall (star of the hit US TV show Dexter) exudes a fragile vulnerability in his portrayal of everyday father Dane.  As if that weren’t enough, Vinessa Shaw (3.10 To Yuma) and Don Johnson (Miami Vice, Django Unchained) ensure that this small but hard-hitting cast are a team not to be missed.