Shotgun Stories
Two families linked by the same father explode into a violent rivalry in this independent Southern gothic drama, the first feature from director Jeff Nichols. Cleaman Hayes lived and died in Little Rock, AR, where he had seven sons by two different women. After wedding Nicole (Natalie Canerday), Cleaman sired three sons, and his lack of concern for their future was reflected in the fact he barely gave them names -- they were dubbed Son (Michael Shannon), Kid (Barlow Jacobs) and Boy (Douglas Ligon). One day, Cleaman abandoned his wife and sons, and left them to survive in deep poverty that has trapped them to this day. Eventually Cleaman cleaned up his act, launched a successful business, married again, and raised four more sons -- Cleaman Jr. (Michael Abbott, Jr.), Mark (Travis Smith), Stephen (Lynsee Provence) and John (David Rhodes), all of whom were given the love and attention Cleaman denied his first three children. When Cleaman dies, all seven sons attend the funeral, and Son, overcome by bitterness, spits on his father's coffin and tells everyone how much he hated the man. Short tempered Mark answers Son with his fists, and a free-for-all breaks out between the two Hayes families. The anger and rivalry doesn't end at the end of the day, and soon a war has broken out between the clans, with no small amount of blood shed on either side. Shotgun Stories received its North American premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. more..
Director: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Michael Shannon, Douglas Ligon, Barlow Jacobs, Michael Abbott Jr., Travis Smith
Here is a tense and sorrowful film where common sense struggles with blood lust.
An understated gem. Writer-director Jeff Nichols, making his feature debut, has created a richly textured world.
The film is a here-and-now American potboiler and a stripped-down parable that can be appreciated by any culture.
An austere rural landscape, festering hatred, class tensions, terse dialogue - these are common currency in indie movies these days. Shotgun Stories uses them all, but manages to stand out from the crowd.
Director Jeff Nichols lets the action unfold slowly following an impromptu insult, but the escalation of hatred and pain feels natural.
Narrative Competition
Austin Film Festival (2007)
New Directors Competition
Chicago International Film Festival (2007)
Best Independent Trailer
Golden Trailer Awards (2008)
Jeff Nichols
Independent Spirit Awards (2008)
Jeff Nichols
Newport International Film Festival (2007)
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