LaRoy, Texas

I must say I like to give opinions of movies I have not heard of or read anything before, hence not having been influenced by critics or media in the first place. Well I'm afraid this one is far from what it may looks like. A good 10 minute start brings and offers promising plot, although right after the movie starts its descend to nowhere. A ridiculous Steve Zahn character combined with an excessive twisted plot, pushes the whole story to the edge of the cliff, where it finishes by falling into the abyss of boredom and grotesque. Yet the atmosphere and other characters like Dylan Baker and a good photography, may deserve some consideration, so I dare to give a 5,9 over 10, in the end. LaRoy, Texas results of an failed attempt of bringing back Fargo to live. The division line is clear; whilst Fargo is a tough and violent drama combining horror with bitterness humor, LaRoy Texas just end up being a whole dumb redneck game of useless characters trying but getting nowhere. Nope, not this one guys. Better try with small movies like Sweet Virginia (2017) or the more mainstream Three Billboards outside Edding (2017) , as they may keep the Fargo spirit with some better dignity.

It's pretty clear from the outset that first-time feature director Shawn Atkinson is a big fan of the Coen brothers because there isn't a scene in this evocative albeit overlong 2024 character-driven thriller that didn't remind me of genuine classics like "Fargo", "Blood Simple", or "No Country for Old Men". The convoluted plot centers on put-upon Ray, a sad sack who owns the town's family hardware store with his slick brother Junior. Married to an unfaithful former beauty queen Stacy-Linn, Ray decides to end it all but gets caught up as an inadvertent hit man on the track of missing cash with his hapless private eye buddy Skip. Much like William H. Macy's Jerry Lundegaard in "Fargo", Ray is such a pitiful character that John Magaro can only do so much to flesh out his role and elicit empathy for his character. On the other hand, Steve Zahn brings welcome over-the-top comic gusto to Skip, while Dylan Baker plays effectively against type as Harry, the true hit man. Matthew Del Negro and Megan Stevenson play Junior and Stacy-Linn pretty much by the numbers. As with the Coens' films, there are comic scenes punctuated by shots of extreme violence. Really for fans of this particular genre.

I watched this on a plane solely due to Steve Zahn and well, there are so few good movies now, especially ones without some strange agenda. This fit the bill, but it is hit and miss. The lack of agenda is worth 2 stars all on its own.

As almost every review tells you, this goes far to basically ripoff the Coen Bros' Fargo. We have to give the creators credit for reaching for the sky in their borrowing. Fargo fumes + Zahn + Dylan Baker as a hit man are the saving graces.

Otherwise, the other main character, Ray, is a one-note completely moronic loser who seems to learn nothing from everything he goes through. Yes. He goes through a lot, but he was flatlined braindead.

The movie is fun to watch, from the beggining to the end. It keeps you guessing whats coming next. All the actors did great at their roles, the plot is very nice, the soundtrack is great and fitting at its scenes. The humor is on point, and its not exagerated. The first 25 minutes are the best and keeps you interested from whats going to do next. Middle is not so good as the first act and the end is nice, but not explendid.

Overall, I recommend this movie to everyone who likes a bit of humor and likes movies that made you think "things are terrible, it cant be worse", and them, it gets even worser than you thought it could be.

7.5/10.

I am going to look forward for further up coming flicks either written or directed by Shane Atkinson.... This picture flew seamless. When I watch a movie - I often take breaks.... the breaks let me sink in fully and completely the past 20 or so minutes. For example "All The Presidents' Men" and intelligent pictures like those.

With Laroy, Texas I took breaks within each 30 minutes or so...... to let it sink in :) the characters were so natural - acting was splendid. The cinematography gave the feel of real place where it was shot. Until now.. this year - one of the best that I have seen. Give it a shot - it is worth its money.