Filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier (Rebel Ridge, Green Room) introduced himself – and his friend Macon Blair – on a production budget of $420,000. A revenge Thriller with moments of dark comedy, Blue Ruin does one of the most assured jobs of directing I’ve seen from an indie release in modern cinema. Unlike other revenge films, the violence here is often messy and unpredictable. The people here make the kind of mistakes anyone would probably make. They’ve seen the movies, but struggle against their own humanity. They’re clearly in over their head.
The camera moves, but never in a flashy way. The most artistic touch is the appearance of the color blue, given weight by the film’s title. The performances are pitch perfect, keeping these thriller events on an ordinary scale. Editing, cinematography and sound are all pro-grade. For a revenge film, it’s oddly quiet with long stretches until jolting us with a sudden revelation. The film was made by people who know how to make good movies.
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