What’s it rated? R
When? March 2020
Where’s it showing? Amazon Prime
Co-writers and directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy helm this dramedy about sisters, Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth Connolly (Morgan Saylor), whose mother recently died. Mary Beth had planned to leave town to attend college, but the sisters soon discover their mother left loads of debt and unpaid bills. To add to their troubles, Mary Beth has a run-in with a drunken and abusive man, leading to his death. When the sisters try to cover up the crime, which was arguably self-defense, they compound their troubles and are soon tangling with the town’s leading criminal, Enid Nora Devlin (Margo Martindale), who runs a prostitution ring, among other illegal activities.
The film has a definite Fargo (1996) vibe—a black comedy with fascinating characters. The filmmakers also opt for the interesting choice of having the film’s menfolk—almost exclusively fishermen who head to sea every morning and leave the women to run the small, remote fishing village—take to song like a Greek chorus. It adds to the film’s ominous feeling. This is a very female-centric film focused on the dichotomy between women who take care of each other and women who exploit one another, and it’s got a terrific ending. If you’re looking for a clever morality play, this is it! (91 min.) Δ
This article appears in Apr 16-26, 2020.