Blood for Dust

Blood for Dust is a dark feature-length thriller directed by Rod Blackhurst, written by David Ebeltoft and starring Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington, Nora Zehetner and Josh Lucas.

The story takes place in the Northwestern United States, in states such as Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. The main protagonist is Cliff (McNairy), a married man who is struggling to make ends meet. His job as a travelling salesman of defibrillators is not enough to stay afloat and his child is seriously ill. Then, one evening he encounters Ricky  (Harington), a man from his past with whom he was involved in illegal activities. Desperate to make money, he accepts Ricky's offer to become a drug trafficker for a local gang led by John (Lucas). As Cliff embarks on this journey into the underworld, things will spiral out of control and become deadly.

One of the main strengths of Blood for Dust is the intriguing plot: a man forced to turn to crime in the hope of getting a lot of money and things go bad. It is a slow burner and the screenplay focuses a great deal on exploring the characters of Cliff and Ricky. Things really start to pick up when Cliff decides to accept to transport drugs, with the suspense building up and murders committed. The moody atmosphere is supported by Justin Derry's cinematography and Nick Bohun's ominous music. Blackhurst's directing is another significant plus, as it captures the beautiful, snow-covered landscapes.

As mentioned, the pace of this film is slow, especially during the first half hour. Some might find this frustrating, however the fact that the story moves gradually gives the feature time for character exploration. This film is an action-packed crime story but rather a neo-noir crime thriller with a screenplay that steadily and methodically moves the plot forward.

As the main character, Cliff (a dramatic performance by McNairy) is a quiet and apprehensive guy who is trying to leave his criminal past behind, however circumstances force him to enter the underworld for profit. He has found himself being part of activities that he wants no part in, is appalled by violence and wants to live a normal life. Although he has a wife and a child, he appears to be alone, constantly travelling by himself. Harington (from Game of Thrones) makes great use of his acting abilities and pretty much steals the show by portraying a talkative American criminal who is more than willing to resort to murder in order to get what he wants.

On the surface, Blood for Dust is a thriller about drug trafficking. Furthermore, it is a story about desperation, about regrets and self-reflection. It is about reminiscing on the past and seems to carry the message that the past catches up.

A dismal thriller about murder and drugs with strong acting and a lot of suspense and drama. The slow pace might not be to everyone's liking, nevertheless, this is a recommended viewing for fans of the crime genre.

On digital 13 January 2025