By Staci Layne Wilson
@StaciWilson

Cut Bank is the name of the small, rural Montana town where the labyrinthine plot unfolds. It begins when handsome but thick Dwayne (Liam Hemsworth) is filming an audition tape for his sweetly vapid, blonde girlfriend Cassandra (Teresa Palmer), and – lo and behold – a murder takes place on the road just inside the frame. Dwayne shares the shocking images with Cassandra’s taciturn father (Billy Bob Thornton), who in turn takes them to the local-yokel and very squeamish sheriff (John Malkovich).

It turns out the alleged murder victim is the mailman (Bruce Dern), who was carrying a very important package in his truck – which is now missing – and one man (Michael Stuhlbarg) will stop at nothing to get his delivery. Also at stake is a $100,000 reward for anyone supplying evidence of the killing of a federal employee. Of course, this being a twist-heavy noir, nothing is as it seems and pretty soon everyone’s life is in danger.

A dark comedy along the lines of a Coen Brothers mystery (think: Fargo, and Burn After Reading), Cut Bank boasts a fabulous ensemble cast and marks the big screen debut of director Matt Shakman (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and writer Robert Patino (“Sons of Anarchy”). Can’t go wrong, right? Wrong.

While Cut Bank has its clever moments, funny running gags, and a few shocking death scenes, it’s just too expository and derivative; what’s more, it takes itself far too seriously. The dialogue between Dwayne and Cassandra in the beginning is supposed to be informative, but it’s clunky – why would a longtime couple need to say things like (and I am paraphrasing), “I really wanted to take you to L.A. three years ago so you could start your career as a beauty pageant queen and spokesmodel, but now I am stuck here taking care of my sick father.” While it’s OK for characters to border on caricature, some of them are just too on-the-nose. One marble-mouthed, single-minded man, eyes magnified behind behind extra-thick coke-bottle specs, is actually named “Milton” (just like the character in Office Space).

Cut Bank is a decent timewaster, but if you’re a fan of true noir and biting black comedy, you might want to cut your losses. But if you decide to take a chance, Cut Bank is due out in limited release on April 3, 2015.

Rated R

93 Minutes

Cut Bank Review