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Watch Cold in July Movie online
Directed by Jim Mickle, co-written with Nick Damici and based on a Joe R. Lansdale novel, Cold In July is an engaging noir style thriller.
Set during 1989, the story focuses on Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) who, after hearing someone creeping around his house at night, accidentally kills an unarmed intruder.
After going through the formalities with the cops, and being hailed as a hero, he learns the name of the assailant and then discovers that the father, Ben Russell (Sam Shepard), is due out on parole within days. Cue threats, stalking and menacing break-ins as Ben looks to avenge his son’s death.
Watch Cold in July Online 2014
But, as chance has it, Dane begins to suspect that the cops are hiding the truth from him. It’s up to Dane to convince Ben that his son is still alive. As they dig deeper, with the help of flamboyant pig farmer cum Private Detective Jim Bob (Don Johnson), they realise the conspiracy goes much, much further. Are Dane, Russell and Jim Bob out of their depth?
Mickle, who directed Stake Land, continues to enhance his reputation with this Coen Brothers/Tarantino-esque adaptation. The film readily skips from one genre to another, all the while leaving the viewer wondering just where it is going next. Elements of home invasion and psychological horror sit side-by-side with traditional thriller and action movie tropes, in this excellent pulpy film.
Watch Cold in July Movie
Michael C Hall is superb as the unassuming ordinary man who is not proud to have taken someone’s life. His character grows and changes as the movies progresses, but initially he is similar to Viggo Mortensen’s Tom Stall in A History Of Violence.
Shepard is wonderfully menacing as a father hell bent on revenge and determined to find the truth about his son. It is however, Don Johnson who truly steals the show as the PI. His mere on-screen presence is enough to grab the viewer’s attention, and once that happens you’re hooked.
The rest of the supporting cast are excellent too, including co-writer Damici as cop Ray Price, Vinessa Shaw as Dane’s wife and Wyatt Russell as Ben’s son Freddy; these are all round quality performances.
Much is made of Mickle being the new Carpenter – and that’s a huge compliment indeed – but there is also something of Sam Raimi about him.
Cold in July is a wonderfully gripping movie that will be probably end up being a cult classic. And deservedly so.