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Cold in July
2014 109 min France, United States of America R 18+
★7.0
Drama, Thriller
Director: Jim Mickle
🎭 Based on
«Cold in July»
byJoe R. Lansdale
Trailers
Description
While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane puts a bullet in the brain of a low-life burglar. Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge.
US Gross:
$427,418
Worldwide:
$427,418
Starring
Michael C. Hall
Actor
Sam Shepard
Actor
Don Johnson
Actor
Awards
Sundance Film Festival 2014
— Grand Jury Prize (Drama)
Key opinion
Cold in July is a stylistic neo-noir that successfully captures an 80s-inspired atmospheric tension through strong performances. While many viewers praise its unique genre pivots and aesthetic, others find the deliberate pacing and tonal shifts to be uneven or boring.
| Acting | The performances by Sam Shepard and Don Johnson provide a compelling, grizzled anchor to the film's shifting narrative. | |
| Production | The cinematography and production design effectively evoke a nostalgic, 1980s Texas atmosphere that defines the film's visual identity. | |
| Score | The electronic, melancholic score successfully enhances the moody, retro aesthetic of the film. | |
| Screenplay | The film's frequent genre shifts—transitioning from family thriller to detective story and comedic western—are perceived by some as masterful creative pivots, while others feel they undermine the initial tension. | |
| Pacing | The deliberate, slow-burn pacing is praised by fans of atmospheric cinema but is criticized by others as being tedious or dragging during quieter scenes. |