Undertow

With David Gordon Green’s signature Southern Gothic look and honest script, the talented writer/director leads viewers into the decay and terror of his latest big-screen slice-of-dysfunctional-life. In a rural town in Georgia with its deteriorating landscapes, a saddened widower (Dermot Mulroney) tries to raise his two boys on his meager taxidermist salary. His feeble attempt results in a forced isolation, a rebellion by the older son (Jamie Bell) and the odd chosen diet of the younger son of paint and mud. To make matters even worse, the arrival of a recently incarcerated uncle (Josh Lucas) whose homicidal tendencies and insatiable greed for legendary Mexican gold coins send the boys fleeing in horror. With Philip Glass’ eerie score, the fear-filled silences in between the original dialogue and the realistic portrayal of a beaten-down family, this Brothers Grimm-like tale will resonate in your mind long after its 107-minute running time.