Shady White

Shady White is a new release indie film involving guns, murder, the mob, and corrupt cops. Everyone is out to get each other and I was definitely entertained. The film maintained my interest throughout and I appreciated the dry wit and sarcasm as well. I enjoy indies like this, and while they may not have the multi-million dollar budgets and A list actors, they usually make up for it with creativity and originality. If you like films like that, then I'd definitely recommend giving Shady White a watch.

Great crime caper flick shot in my home state, Arkansas. I was impressed with the great production value of this film. The cinematography is excellent and the location shots are very dramatic and indeed look just like Arkansas. The plot will keep you invested and the performances are quite good as well. Overall, just well made and engaging. Give it a look. Hope to see more from this director.

From the onset of its initial music and the yesteryear typeface of its opening credits, "Shady White" aesthetically evokes the film and television of 1970's Middle America, yet keeps its actual storytelling rooted in modern times. This is a rural American strong-arm tale; a knowingly campy and homespun indie crime jaunt featuring a Nixon-era muting of colors in its post-production finish, and an across-the-board acting contrivance owing a debt of gratitude to the earliest "Dirty Harry" movies.

Clayton Miller plays the film's drifting, small town gangster namesake. Shady White is indeed white, yet dresses in all-black suits evoking everyman hero Johnny Cash. Miller vaguely comes off like an Americanized Gabriel Byrne in appearance, and spouts a consistent, world-weary apathy. After being off the boss's payroll for a year, he's sucked back in to protect himself and the gal he still loves. Along the way, we encounter a slew of tiny-town, motel-housed crime urchins, all of whom are bent on projecting the bravado and savvy of Al Capone's most battle-tested underlings.

"Shady White" is indie filmmaking at a true grass roots level. Tonally, we somehow expect to see Starsky and Hutch driving by in their mid-1970's Gran Torino. Intended or otherwise, those still around from those times are most likely to appreciate the film's unexpected throwback evocations, and the collective effort demonstrated in conjuring its specific feel. - (Was this review of use to you? If so, let me know by clicking "Helpful." Cheers!)

So First of all Clayton Miller who plays the titular Shady White looks a bit like a young Rob Lowe and touches of Matt Dillon which I found pretty interesting.

This is one of those films where the Director and his entire team has a good grasp on understanding of cinema as apparently this film did not have a huge budget but with that limited budget they sure squeezed out every penny as it has impressive production value to it.

It's got that southern crime feel of say the show "Justified" with storytelling elements of Sodebergh or Guy Ritchie's gangster films with quirky characters with depth.

At just under an hour and a half long, this film draws you in and bolts ahead. I'm a Tarantino fan, and some of the other reviews that compare this to his films are accurate (but without Tarantino's over the top gore, which I appreciate). A classic-but-not-really whodunit, with some really interesting characters & dry humor to keep it light in unexpected ways, with clever dialogue and great casting. Clayton Miller makes a great Shady White! Add to the mix murder, cops, the mob, a love interest, and it's worth a watch.