What Would Push You Over The Edge: ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ Review

Imagine putting together a plan that you believe would help your community and change the world. That’s exactly what Tony Kiritsis did, and that’s before he took the son of the bank owner who lent him the money hostage at gunpoint, rigged with a dead man’s wire. Gus Van Sant’s humorous new crime thriller ‘Dead Man’s Trigger’ depicts just that, the absolutely bonkers 63-hours that Kiritsis tried to recoup what he believed was his. The film was an absolute blast. Start to finish, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ straps audiences in and takes them on a wild and hilarious ride.

Believing that the bank that loaned him the money to buy land had done him wrong, Tony Kiritsis decides that he’s going to take back what’s his and get the apology he believes he deserves. Setting up a meeting with M. L. Hall, the owner of the bank, Kiritsis devises a plan to take Hall hostage, finding only his son, who would certainly do for Kiritsis’ purposes. Using local DJ, Fred Temple, to get his message out, Kiritsis finds himself in a standoff with the police and what he considers justice.

Inspired By A True Story

‘Dead Man’s Wire’ is ripped right from the pages of history. The story of Tony Kiritsis taking Dick Hall really happened. That, in and of itself, makes the film compelling; however, Gus Van Sant’s shooting of the movie as if it were filmed in the 1970s really drove home how much of a period piece the film was. The audience is made to feel like they’ve been transported back in time 50 years.

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The level of attention to detail that the film gave to the period that was presented is second to none. They went as far as using ACTUAL cameras from the period to present the news reels that were prevalent throughout the film. The presentation helped to deliver the feel that the film was trying to present. I truly felt like I was sitting in a theater in 1977 watching a crime film. ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ is a pure time travel period piece, so bring your bell-bottoms.

Smooth Sounds Of The 1970’s

The cast of ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ certainly were more than worthy of their bell-bottoms and polyester button-ups that were so prevalent in the film, save one brutally awful accent. Colman Domingo, whose voice already suited for radio, played Fred Temple exquisitely, oozing the bravado of a 1970’s disc jockey. For his minimal screentime, Al Pacino did leave a mark, albeit not a great one. The accent that Pacino went with was pretty poor and off-putting. Its unintentional hilarity took me out of the film until I was accustomed to it. Otherwise, his performance was also solid.

Weird and offbeat is what Bill Skarsgård does best. However, with his portrayal of Tony Kiritsis, Skarsgård dug deep for another element: sympathy. There’s not much sympathy to be had for Pennywise, but there certainly was for Kiritsis. Skarsgård played him like a folk hero and someone who deserves the sympathy of the audience. Audience-goers can relate to Kiritsis’ struggles and what he’s fighting for. Loans are predatory, and we’ve all had to deal with them. Those who would say that they didn’t wish they could do what Kiritsis did would be lying.

Of course, Skarsgård’s performance would ring hollow had it not been for Dacre Montgomery’s portrayal of Kiritsis’s captive, Richard Hall. Montgomery, who is best known for playing Billy in ‘Stranger Things,’ does not get enough credit for the exceptional actor that he is, and that is no different in this role. Montgomery is the glue that holds ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ together. His portrayal of Hall’s vulnerability made an otherwise unsympathetic character sympathetic. The audience was able to see him as more than just the song of a moneylender. The performance was truly mesmerizing.

Final Thought:

‘Dead Man’s Wire’ is a whirlwind. It straps the audience in and locks them down for the duration of the film. The film is funny, unnerving, and shockingly personal to many who will view it. ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ is one of this winter’s must-see films.

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