Blue Ruin

Name: Blue Ruin
Genre: Thriller
Released: April 25, 2014
Duration: 90 min
Rating: 78
Cast: Amy Hargreaves, Devin Ratray, Kevin Kolack, Macon Blair

2014

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 148 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 148 Ratings

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Blue Ruin

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Movie Details & Credits

Picturehouse Entertainment | Release Date: April 25, 2014 | Not Rated

Starring: Amy Hargreaves, Devin Ratray, Kevin Kolack, Macon Blair

Summary: A beach bum finds his quiet life upended by dreadful news and sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of revenge. Proving an inept assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.

Director: Jeremy Saulnier

Genre(s): Thriller

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 90 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Jamie S. Rich

May 1, 2014

This smart crime story from writer/director Jeremy Saulnier avoids wading into the waters of righteousness that drown many violent movies. Read full review

Keith Staskiewicz

Apr 23, 2014

With the same brand of realist irony the Coens used to cool down "Blood Simple," writer-director Jeremy Saulnier slows the genre’s heartbeat to gripping effect. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Susan Wloszczyna

Apr 25, 2014

The bloody fingerprints of Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers — among other violence-prone auteurs — are smeared all over his tidy and tautly-told Blue Ruin. Read full review

Justin Chang

Dec 20, 2013

A lean and suspenseful genre piece that follows a bloody trail of vengeance to its cruel, absurd and logical conclusion. Read full review

Empire Kim Newman

Apr 28, 2014

A lean, tough, thoughtful thriller with depth, Blue Ruin establishes Jeremy Saulnier as a promising indie auteur and Macon Blair as an unusual leading man. Read full review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service Roger Moore

Apr 22, 2014

Blue Ruin joins “Shotgun Stories” and “Joe” as vivid reminders that however homogenized American culture seems, there are still pockets that are distinct, with people who live by their own rules and their own bloody code. Read full review

David Edelstein

Apr 27, 2014

Blue Ruin is more artful and evocative than any recent revenge picture, but it’s still drivel. Read full review

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User Reviews

TrevorDevendorf

Dec 22, 2014

This film is a brilliant example of a slow, steady, and violent revenge story. Each shot had me at the edge of my seat. the ending was well done. The main actor Macon Blair, is very believable actor. Also want to point out, Jeremy Saulnier, wrote, directed, and did the cinematography forThis film is a brilliant example of a slow, steady, and violent revenge story. Each shot had me at the edge of my seat. the ending was well done. The main actor Macon Blair, is very believable actor. Also want to point out, Jeremy Saulnier, wrote, directed, and did the cinematography for this film, in which he did a fantastic job on. Another great mystery thriller to add to my list!… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

mlaroe8

Sep 1, 2014

When you read reviews of movies oftentimes you'll here words like "raw", and "in your face" and it's difficult to really get a handle on what that really means until you actually see a movie and you think of those words yourself. Those were two things that I thought of specifically afterWhen you read reviews of movies oftentimes you'll here words like "raw", and "in your face" and it's difficult to really get a handle on what that really means until you actually see a movie and you think of those words yourself. Those were two things that I thought of specifically after watching "Blue Ruin", the little known thriller and the next edition of my "Netflix Gems" series.

It follows Dwight Evans, a disheveled homeless man who, despite his shortcomings, is resourceful enough to carve out a nice little niche for himself for a guy living in his car and eating leftovers from the garbage. He gets picked up one day by a police officer and is told that the man who murdered his parents has been released after a prison sentence. Hearing this news and seeing the look in his eyes, you can sense the type of baggage this man has been carrying for years and start thinking of how a tragedy of that magnitude can affect a person at such a vulnerable age. It then sets us up to follow Dwight on a cold and bloody journey for revenge

It's easy for anyone to think of the "what I would do in this situation" scenario when watching a movie like this. More often then not, you'll hear someone say "I would totally do the same thing, I would straight up go after and kill that guy", hell, you might even think those thoughts yourself. It could even be seen as normal for those type of thoughts to cross your mind but actually acting on them is something else entirely. The majority of those who have those thoughts will eventually run into that last shred of their conscience that will hold them back from that combination of satisfying revenge and life ruining mistake. However, there is always that potential that there is that person who does break through that mental block and goes through with it. "Blue Ruin" is saying just that which is a reason why it's cast is filled with all new faces and unfamilars (except for Devin Ratray, last scene in the immortal role as Kevin McCallister's older brother Buzz in the "Home Alone" franchise) because they want to put a face to that potential and it reinforces the idea of how "Dwight" could be inside anyone depending on the circumstances.

It's because of these ideas why the we can relate to Dwight in way, whether its his fumblings with acts of violence, his regret after making mistakes, and just the obvious thought of being scared out of your mind when traveling down this type of road. It's so easy to be able to think about killing those who have killed your own because that Hammurabian mindset is so quick and easy, "You take mine then I take yours, done". We've grown as people from that kind of philosophy because we know that kind of brutality resonates and will eventually blow everything up on its side. "Blue Ruin" takes us on the journey of a man with nothing to lose and nothing to gain but revenge and the knowledge that that revenge won't ease his mind and lessen the effects of the trauma from his past. Dwight Evans is just a man who believes in a sense of right and wrong and that it is only right to destroy those who have done such terrible wrongs to him and his own in order to try and bring a sense of balance to his universe.

We all want balance in our universe but it's hard to decide what we are able to do in order to maintain that balance.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

dinojay2

May 22, 2015

This was an awesome, intense story with terrific acting. Maybe I loved this more than I normally would have because I knew nothing about it and had no expectations, but I thought it was amazing the way it did not glorify or aggrandize the violence, and gave an incredibly realistic look atThis was an awesome, intense story with terrific acting. Maybe I loved this more than I normally would have because I knew nothing about it and had no expectations, but I thought it was amazing the way it did not glorify or aggrandize the violence, and gave an incredibly realistic look at what might really happen when an unlikely hero attempts to extract vengeance which he is completely ill-equipped for. A great example to show how it is still possible to make and excellent thriller without big name stars or a huge special effects budget.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Spangle

Nov 21, 2014

Blue Ruin is a film that cements director Jeremy Saulnier as a talent to keep an eye on. Brilliantly directed, executed, and paced, Blue Ruin is a definite success. Macon Blair shines in the lead role and truly commands the screen and does a great job portraying this broken character.Blue Ruin is a film that cements director Jeremy Saulnier as a talent to keep an eye on. Brilliantly directed, executed, and paced, Blue Ruin is a definite success. Macon Blair shines in the lead role and truly commands the screen and does a great job portraying this broken character. Saulnier never fails to amp up the tension here either, as you are constantly on the edge of your seat here as the violence and unfolds. In addition, in just an hour and a half, the film does a great job developing all characters and plot elements to where it feels as though you truly have a grasp on everything that is happening in the film. As a whole, I went into this one expecting a good film and, luckily, that is exactly what I got in return. It is always a nice thing when a film lives up to expectations. The only negative I would mention here is the violence can be gratuitous at times and really took me out of the film in those moments. However, there are not many of those moments thankfully.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

oDjento

Mar 16, 2015

This was a pretty good thriller but it didn't fully become what it wanted. It certainly follows a coen brother type of vibe and it has some excellent scenes in it, but it never tries to truly impress. Macon is pretty good in his role seeming like an unstable man who wants justice andThis was a pretty good thriller but it didn't fully become what it wanted. It certainly follows a coen brother type of vibe and it has some excellent scenes in it, but it never tries to truly impress. Macon is pretty good in his role seeming like an unstable man who wants justice and protection for his family but he doesn't blow the film away. Entertaining as it is it seems a littlw lackluster in the end. The plot ties nicely together and flows pretty solidly, not taking you away from the sole story it wants to tell you. There is much to admire here and the director may be one to watch in the near future but hopefully he'll pick up from here! Good thriller but not outstanding. I am bent between a 6 and a 7 for this film so i will put it up to a 7 for it being the directors second venture into feature length film but overall i'm really giving it a 6.5.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

netflic

May 5, 2014

It's a thriller, and for a thriller, the movie is not bad. A lot of blood, and it looks real, unlike some Tarantino movies.
A few smaller characters are too caricaturish and simplistic. I am not going into the plot not to spoil it. Cinematography is good, and main characters play quiteIt's a thriller, and for a thriller, the movie is not bad. A lot of blood, and it looks real, unlike some Tarantino movies.
A few smaller characters are too caricaturish and simplistic. I am not going into the plot not to spoil it. Cinematography is good, and main characters play quite convincingly.
As for a script, well, did I already mention that it is a thriller? So, do not judge it too hard.
Overall, if you are a fan of this genre, you will not be disappointed.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

ariel84

Jul 11, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. another indie film praised to the sky that did not impress. i was intrigued until i found out the motivating factor for dwight's rampage, about halfway through the film. not that his parents' deaths weren't reason enough for him to seek revenge, but there should've been more set up to his rage. he goes from a sorry homeless guy to a calculating killer in about 2 secs.… Expand

2 of 13 users found this helpful211

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