Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
When the quiet life of a beach bum is upended by dreadful news, he sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. However, he proves an inept assassin and finds himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.
Blue Ruin is a lean, deliberately paced neo-noir revenge thriller distinguished chiefly by its subversive take on the genre — the protagonist is a bumbling, terrified everyman rather than a competent avenger. Jeremy Saulnier's cinematography is genuinely exceptional, with beautifully composed, naturalistic imagery that elevates the tension throughout. The plot is solid but fairly contained, leaning on genre conventions while inverting them effectively. Acting is grounded and believable, with Macon Blair delivering a compelling lead performance, though the supporting cast is uneven. The film's concept and execution are distinctive enough to stand out but not wholly singular in the neo-noir space. The ending is appropriately bleak and consistent with the film's tone, though not particularly surprising given its trajectory.