Blue Ruin

 BLUE RUIN

Director : Jeremy Saulnier
Year : 2014
Genre : Thriller
Rating : ****

Stripping away all sense of narrative or character clarity, cinematographic sheen or directorial pretentiousness, 'Blue Ruin' is a very basic but very, very effective study into the ways in which violence begets violence as well as standing up as a full blooded indictment of America's controversial gun laws. Directed by newcomer Jeremy Saulnier and featuring unknowns Macon Blair, Eve Plumb and Amy Hargreaves, 'Blue Ruin' doesn't distract us with star power or auteurish proclivities but instead endeavors to simply show us vengeance in it's rawest and darkest form. As a result, the film turns out to be an unexpected and hugely efficacious experience that is all at once engulfing, repugnant and hauntingly thought provoking.

'Blue Ruin' tells the story of Dwight (Blair), a homeless man who spends his time in the front seat of his battered car (the blue ruin of the title) while making a living out of the scraps of food he finds in dirty bins and dumpsters. Happy and contended with his nomadic lifestyle, his demeanour spontaneously changes when he discovers that Wade Cleland, a dangerous and notorious criminal will soon be released from jail. Believing Wade will bring harm to his estranged family, Dwight brutally murders him and it's not long before Wade's family arrives on the scene to kill both Dwight and his relatives. Returning to his home state of Virginia, Dwight becomes an amateur assassin; killing anyone who stands as a potential threat to his sister or young nieces and nephews.

'Blue Ruin' is a film where the less you know about the plot, the better. While I will not give any of the intricacies of the complex narrative, I will say is that it is a very oppressive picture with a tone that is reminiscent of both the film noirs of the 1950's and 1960's as well as the earlier works of The Coen Brothers such as 'Blood Simple' and 'Fargo'. Newcomer Macon Blair is brilliant in the central role as Dwight; a man who seems to have been left behind in a world of progress, technology and achievement. The supporting cast, while not given a huge amount of screen time, are all perfectly pitched and every character is well established with their various motivations and values in plain view.

The direction by Saulnier, while understated, is perfectly suited to the atmosphere of the film; with camera angles and lighting techniques establishing and reinforcing the repressive ambiance of the subject matter. Rustic hues of blues, reds and greens add a nostalgic, almost industrial sentiment to the picture while the brilliant modernised soundtrack by composers Brooke and Will Blair catapults the film back into the immediate present and all of these ingredients come together to produce a work that is scathingly current while also told with the benefit of hindsight. We know that American history is resplendent with vicious family feuds and stories of those who seek justice with the bullet. We also know that with no end to the changing of the law in sight, it is only a matter of time that more innocent blood is shed once again and the constitution has yet another name to add to the immeasurable tombstone of those lost to the second amendment.

At times, 'Blue Ruin' is sombre and meditative. At other times it is brutal, bloody and horrific. While the idea of the futility of revenge has been explored throughout cinema history, 'Blue Ruin' stands out due it's simplicity, unpredictability and it's harsh realistic tone. Winner of the coveted FIPRESCI prize at the 2013 Cannes Festival, the movie shines as a highlight in a year that, so far, hasn't been a showcase for truly great independent cinema.