'Only The Good Survive' Review: Stylish Heist Thriller Bursts with Punk Spirit | SXSW 2023
NR
Runtime: 1 Hour and 32 Minutes
Production Companies: Rough & Tumble Films, Thunderbird Films
Distributor: XYZ Films
Director: Dutch Southern
Writer: Dutch Southern
Cast: Sidney Flanigan, Frederick Weller, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Ropp, Darius Fraser, Lachlan Watson, Jon Gries
Release Date: N/A
SXSW 2023 Coverage
Part of the excitement behind SXSW’s film programming is knowing that a few indescribable indies that fit the festival’s eccentric identity will play to my bizarre, twisted liking. When going through the Narrative Spotlight selection, Only the Good Survive stood out like a sore thumb: a horror, comedy, mystery, and thriller with Never Rarely Sometimes Always breakout star Sidney Flanigan. Plus, it’s written and directed by one of the writers behind that fan-made Power/Rangers short with James Van Der Beek?! Sign me up!
Set in a rural Texas town, Brea Dunlee, an orphaned young woman, is interrogated by Sheriff Cole Mack (Frederick Weller) over surviving a robbery gone so deadly wrong. The traumatized Brea recounts how a simple plot by her boyfriend Ry (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), his scheming friend Erve (Will Ropp), and Erve’s accomplice/secret crush Dev (Darious Fraser) to steal rare coins from an old couple takes a turn for the worst when they find something locked up in their attic. The petty thieves soon find themselves in a bloody fight for survival, evading an axe-wielding cult of Satanists. As the only survivor, Brea and the privy Cole play a game of wits to uncover the details of the heist.
Only the Good Survive’s writer/director Dutch Southern coats his debut feature in a rural Texas town with a youthful anarchist spirit and colorful pop. Southern taps into a whimsical style, personalizing the youthfulness of his lead as Brea recounts her tale. Through her unreliable narration, Southern’s energetic filmmaking flair keeps the audience engaged. His Edgar Wright-influenced stylization in shot composition incorporates whip-pans, quick-zooms, or mesmerizing 2D animation (done by animator Dax Norman) as flashy transitions. Given the story’s rural setting (often depicted as mundane), Southern blasts every background of his Texas tale with bright colors and lighting, as if he wanted his settings to replicate the stages from a Splatoon game. I can usually sense when something so objectively quirky is trying too hard. Heck, I’d argue that Wes Anderson tends to Wes Anderson himself into a brick wall sometimes. But Southern maintains an individual identity by matching his flashy style with the colorful artistry thrown into the art direction.
Only the Good Survive’s identity prospers from its ambitious heist narrative, which has a “take it or leave it” requirement. The synopsis gives you nothing; the film is an utterly unpredictable narrative that almost made me throw my pencil against the wall. When the story deviates into horror territory, its disturbingly violent practical effects juxtapose the vibrant settings.
Only the Good Survive functions as new acting territory for actress Sidney Flanigan, who delivers another layered performance that keeps the audience in the dark while delivering some comedic anarchist energy. Flanigan has to hide several cards up her sleeve, keeping her poker face strong while engaging in witty banter with Sheriff Cole. She has that deadpanned dialect reminiscent of a young Mary Elizabeth Winstead, so the comedy garnered well-earned laughs.
I’d be lying if I said the framing device of Cole’s interrogation of Brea wasn’t detrimental to the story’s pacing. Brea’s story is often interrupted by Cole’s nosiness, allowing Southern to dive further into the surrounding exposition or a comical moment between Weller and Flanigan. As that layering device hits the story's most crucial moments, there’s a point where it teeters on gimmicky. Few of the details of Brea’s story aren’t fleshed out due to the constant interruptions, especially as integral plot points and heightened horror occurs.
To my delight, Dutch Southern’s debut feature, Only the Good Survive, is that quintessential SXSW gem that’s incomprehensible yet entertaining. For an indie film, Only the Good Survive has more pizzazz than some studio projects dream of having. Dutch Southern’s colorful genre-bending heist thriller bursts with wit, color, gore, and a welcoming rebellious spirit that makes you want to put on your favorite punk album.
