A Single Shot Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Ted Levine, Kelly Reilly, Jason Isaacs

Director: David M. Rosenthal

Format: Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, THX, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 116 minutes

 

 

        A Single Shot provides a moderately engaging viewing experience, mostly because of way that even the film’s narrative twists and turns seems comfortingly familiar. There are no real surprises in this film and little beyond the performances stands out in the memory after it has been watched. The rest almost seems to be there simply to service these wonderfully colorful characters that the actors play.

 

        Sam Rockwell gives a wholehearted performance as John Moon, a backwoods poacher who has seen bad luck that lost him his family farm and wife in a short period. This streak of bad luck continues when Moon accidentally shoots a woman while hunting for deer, and while stashing her body he discovers a box full of cash. This seems to be a stroke of luck until his newfound wealth brings all sorts of unwanted attention from some out-of-town visitors.

 

        The backwoods setting and spurts of unpredictable violence call back to many other films. Rockwell’s performance alone has made comparison to Winter’s Bone understandable, and the inclusion of William H. Macy as a slimy small-town lawyer also harks back to the darker films of the Coen brother’s past, particularly Fargo. The one thing that seems to be missing from this film is a point, and without it this is just an entertaining thriller with good performances; entertaining but unfulfilling.

 

        The Blu-ray release includes a making-of featurette, a trailer and interviews with cast and crew.

       

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

Historical Significance: 5/10

Disc Features: 4/10