by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Do you love the Coen brothers? These Jewish-American siblings come from Minnesota and have crafted a career with their distinct black comedy, dry wit, and absurd characters. If you watch a Coen film, you know it. You probably have watched other movies and realized the filmmakers must have been influenced by them as well (Martin McDonagh certainly seems to be a fan). They command the neo-western so well by injecting their movies which fall within the genre with great casts and characters who perform a variety of crimes. Writer/director Shane Atkinson certainly needs to be added to the list of filmmakers inspired by the Coens, thanks to his latest film, LaRoy, Texas.
Where do you see the Coens’ influence shine through? There are certainly elements that feel lifted straight from Fargo, No Country for Old Men, and The Big Lebowski. The neo-western genre with the Texas setting works perfectly in LaRoy, Texas. The desert landscape setting gives a feeling of isolation and lawlessness. There is a big cast of wild characters who have their own quirks and such, making them stand out (even if they are in a larger role). There are also moments of unexpected and awkward violence, which has become a calling card for the Coens. The major negative, though, is that LaRoy, Texas feels a bit derivative. Atkinson does a fine job of capturing the essence, but you can tell no Coens were involved in the directing or writing. Most frustratingly, the whole plot is centered around a murder mystery, and some of the subplots of just arch lifted right out of the Coens’ best works.
Is Atkinson’s story interesting enough to stand on its own? There is quite the web of lies and deceit in this small town of LaRoy. The audience is anchored with a duo of protagonists. A meek part-owner of a store, Ray (John Magaro), whose wife is cheating on him, is mistaken for a hit man. This leads him down the path of murder, blackmail, adultery, and theft. His only ally is an aspiring private investigator, Skip (Steve Zahn), who no one takes seriously. The driving force is a bunch of missing money, and the tension is derived from our duo’s lack of synergy of motivation. There are plenty of twists and turns in the story, but it can be a bit inconsistent in terms of how it all pieces together. Some elements feel fresh and interesting, while others feel lifted straight from the Coens’ filmography.
How does this cast of small-town fare? Magaro brings so many layers of paranoia, insecurity, and fear into this role. There is also a touch of mania and inflated confidence, as this thrilling ordeal awakens something in him. Zahn is endlessly delightful and empathetic as he captures the humorous charm and insecure attitude of this P.I. Dylan Baker is unnerving as always as the actual hitman that Magaro is mistaken for. From the prologue, we know Baker’s character is a dangerous one. The rest of the cast bring it in a Coens kind of way, as even the minor characters make an impact.
Does LaRoy, Texas scratch the itch for a neo-western crime thriller? Overall, Atkinson channels his Coen influence and tells a story with plenty of surprises, fun characters, and strong performances. The meek shall stand supreme in a tale like this, and give audiences a different kind of protagonist in a crime film.
Rating: Liked It
LaRoy, Texas is currently playing in theaters
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