As God is my witness, Blow the Man Down (2019) is the best neo-noir film I’ve seen since Drive.
This movie oozes style. It reminds me a lot of Fargo, and it’s clear the filmmakers studied the Coen brothers extensively. The result? A film every bit as good as a Coen brothers masterpiece.
Set in a small fishing town in Maine, Blow the Man Down opens with a fantastic sea shanty sung by fishermen—men who have clearly lived hard lives. I can practically smell the fish and salty air. I know these people. I’ve spent time with these people. I know exactly what this town is all about.
But this isn’t a movie about fishermen. No, no. Nearly all the main characters are women. This is their world, and I assure you, the women of this town have it just as rough—if not rougher—than the men. Because they have a secret. A dirty secret. One that leads to murder.
A particular woman—a mother—has recently passed away, and we witness her funeral. Two of her daughters, Priscilla and Mary Beth Connolly (played by Sophie Lowe and Morgan Saylor), sip booze as they mourn, unaware that their mother’s death will trigger a chain of events leading to mayhem and destruction. As these events unfold, we meet a host of quirky characters, each with their own story, driven by passion, greed, and survival. Most of them are women. And as I said, this is a story about women—but sometimes, there are men. I won’t give away too much, but I will say: the women of this town are up to trouble. And that trouble has been brewing for decades. Now, it’s all coming to a head.
Every single actor in this film is a treat. They’re almost Shakespearean in their designs. But one actress stands out above the rest: Margo Martindale as Enid Devlin, an elderly madam whose very name screams menace. She’s a devil of a woman. Though she walks with a cane and carries extra weight, she is terrifying. I was genuinely scared of her. Martindale has all the intimidation of Al Pacino or Joe Pesci. Even though Enid’s best years are behind her, she has a near-psychopathic ability to manipulate people—especially men. Even at her age, she can talk her way into any man’s pants, and it’s something to behold. But when she’s not charming, she’s menacing. She is fully willing and capable of ending your life—or getting someone else to do it. And she wouldn’t think twice.
There’s a particular scene where she sits, hair freshly styled, in a black dress, her eyes boring into us, the viewers. You can feel the weight of the world crashing down on you. That’s how powerful she is.
The rest of the ensemble cast is just as fantastic. The two sisters, Priscilla and Mary Beth, have bitten off more than they can chew. They’re in deep trouble, like fishermen caught in an angry storm, dragged far from shore by forces beyond their control.
Then there’s a trio of elderly women—played by June Squibb, Marceline Hugot, and Annette O’Toole. At first, they seem like mere busybodies. But this town holds secrets, and these women know them all.
One of the few major male characters is Officer Justin Brennan (Will Brittain), a good Catholic boy—the only real innocent in the film. Watching him try to piece everything together, almost naively, is both amusing and tragic.
Blow the Man Down was written and directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy. These women have crafted a vicious, compelling neo-noir with a unique perspective. Too often, films like this frame women as mere victims. Here, they are both victims and perpetrators, fully capable of unleashing destruction upon their small town.
God, I wish there were more films like this. I also wish Blow the Man Down had been seen by more people. But, alas, it’s an Amazon Prime original. I appreciate Amazon’s commitment to great films, but I wish this had gotten a theatrical release. If I could, I’d buy it on Blu-ray, but it’s only available on Prime Video.
It’s interesting—this film has a 99% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, one of the highest I’ve ever seen. Audiences like it, but not as much as critics. On IMDb, it holds a 6.4/10. On Letterboxd, a 3.4/5. Still better than most movies, but nowhere near that critical acclaim.
And all I’ll say about that is: this time, the critics are right. Blow the Man Down deserves that 99% rating. Hell, Margo Martindale’s performance alone is one of the best portrayals of villainy I’ve seen in ages.
I highly recommend Blow the Man Down.
@movies@piefed.social
Such a great movie!
