Variety
A superior piece of Texas pulp fiction that starts out like a house on fire, sags a bit in the middle, then rallies for an exuberantly bloody finish.
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Cold in July
Two Texan fathers are out for each other's throats and drawn into a web of violence and revenge in this neo-noir thriller based on Joe R. Lansdale’s novel. Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2014. Stars Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Sam Shepard (Mud) and Don Johnson (Django Unchained).
"How can a split-second decision change your life? While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane (Hall) puts a bullet in the brain of low-life burglar Freddy Russell. 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, Ben (Shephard), rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge... Twists and turns accelerate as the film reaches its inevitable destination: a gore-soaked dead end." (Sundance Film Festival)
Less2014Rating: R18, Offensive language, sexual violence, violence109 minsUSA, France
DramaMysteryThriller
- Director:
- Jim Mickle ('We Are What We Are', 'Stake Land', 'Mulberry St')
- Writer:
- Jim MickleNick Damici
- Cast:
- Michael C. HallSam ShepardDon JohnsonVinessa ShawWyatt RussellNick Damici
Cold in July | Reviews
84%117 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® Score
All reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Total Film
A tense redneck noir with a twist - and a few issues - but it's more like a promising placeholder than the masterpiece they're capable of.
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Time Out
This relentless tale of small-town treachery spiralling into bloody vengeance is one of the year's best indie thrillers
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The Guardian
As for the performances, they're ripe and rich, even though the three core characters sometimes appear to be starring in entirely different movies.
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The Dissolve
It's rare to see a movie where the first five minutes reveal almost nothing about what the audience can expect in the last five. It looms over viewers like it can't wait to kick their ass. And then it kicks.
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Hollywood Reporter
Jim Mickle returns to breathe vigorous new life into the pulpy neo-noir.
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Empire Magazine
A character-driven thriller with more twists than an off-the-map dirt road, awards-quality performances from the three leads, a rare sensitivity to the after-effects of horror and a sure directorial hand.
Full reviewCold in July | Release Details
Cold in July is available to stream in New Zealand now on Google Play and Prime Video and Apple TV.