"Hands That Bind" is the type of a film that can grab your attention but can easily get lost in the shuffle of big-budget action/sci-fi blockbusters and comic book movies. But given the right push, this could become this year's "Nomad" or "Minari."
Led by the always formidable but criminally underrated Paul Sparks ("Broadwalk Empire" and "House of Cards"), Kyle Armstrong has created a film that perfectly captures the struggles of a hired hand in a farming community in '80s Alberta. The dialogue is straightforward and curt and most of the characters speak in clipped sentences but every word is carefully thought-out and well-spoken.
While Paul is undeniably the driver of the film, the rest of the cast equally deserve accolades. Susan Kent, for one, is a revelation here if you've seen her only do comedy. Meanwhile, Landon Liboiron, known for the teen soap "Degrassi," proves he's becoming one of the most interesting actors of his generation. With his handsome features, he can easily fit in a slew of Netflix run-of-the-mill rom-coms or one of those Lifetime holiday movies, but it's obvious he'd rather not.
There's a dialogue exchange early on between him and Paul that plays like a pissing contest and to less capable actors, it wouldn't have much of an impact and would have been completely forgettable.
But with actors of their strength, the scene was intense without the use of big words or any need for a shouting match (I hope Aaron Sorkin is taking notes).
