LaRoy, Texas

While the film sometimes ventures into the absurd, Steve Zahn absolutely shines as a over-confident but likeable private detective determined to solve a case that he wasn't even hired for. John Magaro plays a downtrodden beta male who is walked all over by his wife (played brilliantly by Megan Stevenson) and his braggadocious brother (Matthew Del Negro). This is a showcase for all of the characters (and wonderful actors) that inhabit this fictional town. The director clearly idolizes the Cohen brothers, and this movie makes a great watch along side The Big Lebowski or Raising Arizona.

IN A NUTSHELL: The story is about a man who finds out his wife is cheating on him and decides he’s going to kill himself until a stranger mistakes him for a low-rent hitman. The movie was written and directed by Shane Atkinson, who is making his film debut. Already, the film has been nominated and won 5 awards from various film festivals. Kudos to Atkinson who looks to have a bright future in film! If you like the quirky Coen brothers’ movies, you might get a kick out of this one too. THINGS I LIKED: I’ve been such a fan of Steve Zahn for years. He always chooses such interesting roles to play. His character in this film is hilarious. Dylan Baker does an outstanding job in this. The entire cast does a beautiful job creating perfectly flawed, believable characters. So many scenes made me laugh out loud. There’s a plot twist. I love plot twists. The movie poster is intriguing. The music perfectly underscored the setting in rural Texas. THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE: I would have changed the ending a bit. TIPS FOR PARENTS: Profanity, including F-bombs Murder with blood splatters Kids will be bored. We see a man in only his boxers.