Blow the Man Down Review
The Connolly Sisters (Sophie Lowe and Morgan Saylor) are in mourning, but between a dead stranger in the ocean, a missing murder weapon, and the increasingly shady behavior of their recently deceased mom’s friends, they’ve barely had a chance to register their loss.
NR
Studios: Amazon Studios, Secret Engine, Tango Entertainment
Runtime: 1 Hr and 30 Minutes
Writers/Directors: Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy
Cast: Morgan Saylor, Sophie Lowe, Margo Martindale, June Squibb, Annette O'Toole, Marceline Hugot
Release Date: TBA
Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth Connolly (Morgan Saylor) are sisters trapped in a mundane coastal small village in the state Maine. Priscilla likes her surroundings and small town life as Mary Beth strives for adventure. Once that dynamic is established in the very beginning as they are grieving for their mother at her funeral, M.B. ends up going out, drinking the pain and frustration away. She gets in a car in hopes of getting lucky with a sketchy dude, but it quickly escalates to a murder.
This is just the first few minutes of writers/directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy’s debut feature Blow the Man Down, a fun murder mystery film filled with secrets and sister killers. One of the major strengths that makes this story unique is the writing. The script not only establishes the leads, but it develops them and writes them in a way where you believe they’re sisters. From the way they interact with each other, aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and the bond they share, makes you wholeheartedly root for them to prevail.
After the killer-inciting incident occurs, the narrative gradually becomes a larger scale mystery that goes further than the Connolly sisters ever expected. I truly hate to compare any given campy mystery to works of well-known figures, but Blow the Man Down has a Stephen King/Coen Brothers atmosphere, even down to the fact that this story is set in Maine but has the setting speak as the central character as opposed to the people set in it. Then, the sequences of the shantys add a layer of significance as it helps bridge the transitional tonal shifts of the story.
Modern day murder mystery features (the only one that comes to mind at the moment is Murder on the Orient Express) tend to go overblown, not really taking advantage of their setting. This, on the contrary, takes full advantage of its seaside small town setting by incorporating characters whose authentic interactions feel representative of residents in a small town, where you have your gossipy folk who know each other to the dim-witted law enforcers who never suspect a person to be in the wrong because of how charming they are when they are obviously guilty. It has a very distinct atmosphere with details like that, and those supporting characters add a layer to the dry, witty humor the script delivers.
The direction accompanies the humor as well where it utilizes techniques that ensure the efficiency of the comedy, from whip pans to quick cuts, to deliver a dark sense of humor and fast pace.
The film turns into a larger-scale story similar to Fargo but with better-written characters (yeah I went there) where other people in the town play a role. One of the adversaries the sisters must go up against is MARGO MARTINDALE!
Sophie Lowe and Morgan Saylor are great as these sisters, but God BLESS this woman:
CHARACTER ACTRESS MARGO MARTINDALE IS THE GOAT AND NOBODY CAN TELL ME SHIT! Martingdale never ceases to be one of the best actresses of all time, for she just defines power with each line. Margo can control a scene and can make anyone her bitch because of the grit in her delivery, her dead-on stare, and boldness. Margo Martindale is kind of a scene stealer who elevates the film as a whole with her performance because she’s a damn whirlwind of power. I’m not going to tell you her role in the film, but she plays a huge, intricate part of the story and the conflict these girls face.
As the film progresses, the sisters uncover secrets from their mom’s past, their neighbors, and the town itself which is alluring and makes the narrative so captivating. The more you learn about the town’s history, the more gripping the story becomes and the more you wish for the girls to persevere in their situation.
Blow the Man Down is a standard murder mystery that is well-written and enjoyable but lacks a special element to make it soar. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun, entertaining, and grounded in its own atmosphere, but I feel like it’s missing something. I just can’t put my finger on it. But nothing makes me want to scream out, “SEE THIS!” It’s a great matinee feature for a Saturday and you will go out for wine afterwards with your friends and that’s it. And sometimes I think that’s the best moviegoing experience one could have.
Blow the Man Down is an impactful debut by Cole & Krudy that is mysterious, buoyed with great performances, and has a meaningful setting that enhances the level of detail within the story.
