Cry for the Bad Man Review from Uncork’d Entertainment!
Camille Keaton doesn’t really get much credit, truth be known. She’s known only for one film, I Spit on your Grave (See review of I Spit on Your Grave here), and that’s it. It doesn’t matter that she’s floated along over the decades since making appearances here and there, not in major roles or big movies, but aside from a ten-year gap mid-way, she’s been around. In recent years Camille has made a little bit of a comeback, starring in the official I Spit on your Grave sequel (Deja Vu) and I think I’m one of the only people who enjoyed it. As I’ve said a million times, I don’t sit and find faults with a movie or try to make myself big by ripping into anything (and I never do for budget restrictions). I enjoy horrors because I’m a horror fan. I watch and review to be entertained and hopefully put that across to the reader. Of course, time has moved on, so Camille is taking ‘Mom’ roles and teachers, that kind of thing. Which makes the character of Marsha Kane in Cry for the Bad Man very different. The right casting choice for definite.
We meet her upon the beginning credits sequence, placing a recently used gun into a case, then wiping bed feathers from a picture – there’s feathers all over, finally wiping blood from the wall. Washing her hands, she pauses at seeing her wedding ring, then stares into the mirror, emotionless.
Six months pass by. She’s listening to some old classic tunes, glancing now and then at her lonely bed, and then sits back to think. It’s midnight, which is rather late for a car to arrive out front of her big house, but there’s a gang of drawl speaking men wanting her to come out to negotiate. Marsha does so, and stands with her arms folded. The three lads are brothers and their father has made an offer on the land but as she says with a voice gravelled by cigs and alcohol, “I ain’t sellin’!” The lead mouth, Wayne, sticks a knife to the door with a note, saying it’s a contract. One of the brothers, Derek (who looks a bit like Varg Vikernes), gets a bit edgy when the knife appears. He obviously has a bit of a conscience. They say they’ll be back tomorrow night and want to see it signed.
The local Deputy is unhelpful on purpose, and she figures he’s in on it. Her daughter tries to persuade her to stay with her but gets a slap in the face. “This is my house!” Afterwards we get a bit of character development between, Wayne and Derek, then their Dad shows up. After some conversation, he tells Wayne, “You’re just a fight, waiting for an insult.” He isn’t too over-the-top pleased with Wayne’s tactics. He sums up that he’s all bluff.
Even the local vicar is telling her to sell. The house means a lot to her, she won’t just give it up. Marsha goes out back to test aim with a shotgun and pistol. Positioning herself ready at the allotted time, there’s a knock at the door and she fires. One of the brothers catches a gut full of slow death. “She hurt me, she got me good!” cries Billy. Wayne wants vengeance now, but Derek is stating how none of it is worth it. Using Billy as a distraction, the other two move ‘round the back of the house. Martha isn’t stupid though, she’s ready for them. Martha gets the upper hand, then her daughter happens to show up, and the war truly begins…
Cry for the Bad Man is a well-acted, well-paced thriller that uses character fears and depths rather than all out gore. There’s a few nifty gunshot wounds and such, but it’s the play-off between most of the people that builds up tension and chills. Helen, Martha’s daughter, pulls out the stops by being as twisted and aggressive as her mom when faced by danger. Top marks go to Karen Konzer and her snarling performance. That’s the strength here. Everyone performs brilliantly, there’s no weak links anywhere. Watching Eric Dooley as Derek degenerate into pain-fuelled madness is a wonder, and it’s refreshing that director/writer, Sam Farmer, didn’t make Wayne a predictable coward at heart. Wayne is a mean lil shit and sticks to his guns literally, not faltering any moment – this is Scott Peeler’s first major role, by the way, and the lad has some talent.
Sam Farmer has pulled a very hard hitting trick out of his bag with Cry for the Bad Man. His choice of lighting and mood music (by Franko Carino) really takes off into this stand-off battleground, and the camera misses nothing. It’s only his second feature. Damn he’s had a huge break in-between as well.
The one critical factor with Cry for the Bad Man has to be the gore effects. They are the wrong colour here and there and sometimes they are not as convincing as they could be (awesome stump though), but so what? This isn’t a film for anyone wanting a cheap and quick bloody violent throw away. It’s far more thought-provoking than that.
Cry for the Bad Man (named after an old ‘70s Lynyrd Skynrd tune) is out now (May 5th) on DVD and VOD and well worth checking out. Camille’s official big comeback.
Directed by: Sam Farmer | Written by: Sam Farmer | Produced by: Corina Seaburn, Jonathan Shepard | Cinematography by: Patrick Barry | Editing by: Sam Farmer, Corina Seaburn | Music by: Franko Carino | Special Effects by: Factory of FX, Jeh Howell | Cast: Camille Keaton, Karen Konzen, Eric Dooley, Scott Peeler, Christopher Forrest, Victor Jones | Year: 2019 | Country: USA | Language: English | Color: Color | Runtime: 1h 14min
Distributor: Uncork’d Entertainment
