Writer/director Jeff Nichols delivers a powerful feature-film debut with Shotgun Stories, a compelling tragic story about an extended-family feud that erupts upon the death of the patriarch.
Buy Shotgun Stories Blu-rayIn a small town in Arkansas, Son Hayes (Michael Shannon in a riveting performance) has shotgun scars on his back. His co-workers at the fish farm gossip over how he got them, but none know the truth. Son’s wife, Annie (Glenda Pannell), has left with their young son due to his gambling as he tries to perfect a card-counting system. He invites his younger brothers, Kid (Barlow Jacobs) and Boy (Douglas Ligon), who have been sleeping in a tent in Son’s backyard and in a van parked various places respectively. Kid works alongside Son, hoping for a raise so he can propose to his girlfriend. Boy is a youth basketball coach. One evening, their mother stops by informing them their father has died.
The three brothers go to the funeral, which the father’s current family has arranged. Son asks for the opportunity to speak. Filled with nothing but resentment for the man that ran out on his family and started a new one, he causes a commotion at the burial. This sets off a chain of events between the half brothers that shows revenge does more harm than good as the brothers’s fighting escalates each encounter, leaving none of them, nor their loved ones, unscathed.
Nichols’s story of a family dealing with emotional trauma is striking. Although years have gone by, the first set of Hayes brothers haven’t fully processed their abandonment and still carry the pain. It’s unfair to resent their half brothers and yet they do, transferring all the anger they are unable to direct at their father, an anger which had been stoked by their mother. Growing up in a broken family may not be a universal story, but those lucky enough to have been raised in a stable, loving family should still be able to sympathize because Nichols created believable characters realized by the talented cast.
The video is available in a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer displayed at the original aspect ratio of 2.39:1. Cinematographer Adam Stone’s use of sunlight illuminates the exteriors of a small Arkansas town that is in in decline. Earth-tone hues appear warm. Blacks are inky. Fine texture details are apparent as is slight film grain. The image looks clean, free from dirt or defect.
The audio is available in DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio. Dialogue is clear. The track offers good ambiance, such as during exterior scenes when the consistent faint chirping of insects can be heard as can vehicles passing by offscreen. The music by bands Pyramid and Lucero, the latter fronted by Jeff’s brother Ben Nichols, comes through with great clarity. It is balanced well in the mix with the other sound elements.
The Special Features are:
- Commentary with writer/director Jeff Nichols: This informative track reveals what a thoughtful filmmaker he is.
- Interview with Jeff Nichols(14 min): A few subjects are covered, including how he wanted to show an accurate portrayal of the American South and its inhabitants, which Hollywood rarely gets right.
- Photo Album (1 min): A video reel of production photos.
- Theatrical Trailer (2 min)
Shotgun Stories is the work of a confident filmmaker. The movie quickly captures the audience’s attention of the audience and, along with the cast and crew, holds it until conclusion as the story covers familiar ground in a refreshing way. The Blu-ray delivers very pleasing high-definition video and audio, and a couple of extras to learn more about the movie and its maker.
