Cut Bank (2014) User Reviews

Neat Small Movie

[ptlcan-18906 · 7/10 · 17 April 2015]

I thought this reminded me a bit of Fargo but my more observant companion correctly and more accurately though it was a bit of a tribute to Blood Simple. If the movie had a weakness it was that Liam Hemsworth seemed a bit flat or lost compared to the others. The story was good, few puzzles still remain unexplained regarding the background of Derby Milton, the character whose singular unravels the plans of the main character and unleashes chaos. The women all play peripheral roles and more or less stand around and look worried.

The story felt fresh and although there was a resolution of sorts it was not too cliché.

Fun movie. Worth the watch

[chrismackey1972 · 7/10 · 6 March 2015]

This was a fun movie. I like everyone in it, which is why I watched it. Teresa Palmer was the big draw for me, but she wasn't in it a lot, more as movie dressing than anything else. Too bad, because she's a very good actress. Still, I'll watch anything with her. Liam Hemsworth usually puts out good movies, and with the supporting cast of Billy Bob Thornton and John Malcovich, the cast sold the movie.

The storyline was interesting, however, I caught the mid-movie twist rather early on. Still, that's fine. One thing about the movie I didn't like was the title. I almost passed on it because the title sounded like some very low-budget indie. They really should change it at least to Cut Bank Murders.

I recommend. I gave this a 7-star rating. The cast itself is worth it, and as I said earlier, the storyline was fun. The killer was...psychotic. lol. "I just want my p-p-parcel."

"Nothing is immediate in this life.." (dialog)

[A_Different_Drummer · 7/10 · 11 March 2015]

... "except maybe self stimulation .. and even that takes patience"

It is common knowledge that the Coen Bros don't do sequels so in a way it is the highest form of flattery that someone felt compelled to do possibly the closest thing to a sequel ... more of an homage really .. to Fargo.

Those are big shoes to fill both in front of and behind the camera.

Cut Bank Montana is as good a place as any to make the try.

The direction is pretty solid, one of the best things about the film.

Fargo had a bunch of local eccentrics but was showcased by one standout performance.

Cut Bank does not have one standout performance but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In Cut Bank Montana everyone is on the same level of nuts, and that fact works to keep the film chugging along.

My personal favorite was the local hermit who, upset that his mail is missing (that's another story arc that ties in later) walks around acting like Rain Main but at the same time going all MMA on anyone who gets into his way. Memorable. And pretty unique.

Plots form. People plan, people die, people eat peach cobbler and say clever things .... and pretty soon the film is over.

The ending is a highpoint. Clever. And sticks with you, like a Life Lesson you never asked for. Very fitting, if you live in Cut Bank. And want more than anything to leave.

And Bruce Dern (late 70s) might now rank right up there with the Anthony Quinn (mid 80s) as one of the longest-working actors in film history. Props, Bruce.

Would recommend.

A good thriller let down only by Hemsworth

[jtindahouse · 6/10 · 13 March 2015]

When you manage to cast three brilliant actors in your film like John Malkovich, Bruce Dern and Billy Bob Thornton, then you are entitled to feel pretty let down when the young buck you hire in the lead role completely ruins the whole thing. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Liam Hemsworth has no acting chops whatsoever. In fact he's an absolute drain on a film. It's a shame too because this was an otherwise fun film with some real quirk to it and a few elements that even the Coen brothers would even be proud of.

Director Matt Shaman quite effectively achieves the isolated, small town, far from the big city feel that makes a film like this work so well. This is Shakman's first film he's directed and he's done a good job. The characters are also well written and the overall script is pretty solid and a lot of fun. The only thing really holding this back is Hemsworth as far I am concerned. There are so many fine actors around his age who would have been perfect for the role too. Put him in a film opposite Miley Cyrus and he'll come across as great by comparison (maybe even Oscar worthy), but put him in a scene with one of the three big actors previously mentioned in this film and he noticeably pales in comparison. The fact that it's still quite watchable despite this is a good thing.

Not Fargo, but not terrible.

[themorethemurrier · 7/10 · 21 March 2015]

I wanted to love this movie. With a trailer that felt like Fargo (minus the snow), I was confident it would make for an enjoyable Saturday night. Cut Bank is no Fargo. But it's hardly awful. Malkovich, Dern, Platt and Thornton deliver good performances; the plot moves along somewhat predictably, but nicely none the less.

Watching it, I was reminded of Clay Pigeons, and this actually helped me figure out what was troubling me about the movie: Hemsworth is no Joaquin Phoenix. He doesn't seem committed, and the viewer, in turn, finds it hard to commit to him.

Fortunately, the other performances carry the show and the ending brings an adequately satisfying payoff for your time in Cut Bank.

Who talks like this?

[fhicks6-736-86519 · 6/10 · 24 December 2019]

I would've given it 8 stars but couldn't see past Hemsworth's wooden treatment and the way these people talk. Too much forced noir from the writer clashing against the backdrop of plain Jane small town setting. Otherwise it was a great plot and directed well.

Poor Liam Hemsworth thinks he can act.

[Ramascreen · 7/10 · 29 March 2015]

Anytime there's a crime comedy set in a small town, the comparison to Coen Bros' classic film, "Fargo" always comes to mind. And in some ways, CUT BANK does pay homage to the Coens and their "Fargo," after all, this too is about a crime that is not well thought out, or the perpetrators didn't plan things through so much so that unexpected situations happen along the way resulting in people getting unintentionally killed. CUT BANK is not perfect, but it's amusing.

Starring two Australian actors as the sweetheart couple, Dwayne McLaren (Liam Hemsworth) and Cassandra (Teresa Palmer), residents of Cut Bank, Montana, and just like any young couples out there, they are sick and tired of being stuck in that small town, Dwayne specifically dreams of a big city, while Cassandra is occupied with dreams of her own, becoming the town's beauty queen. They have ambition. One day, Dwayne is videotaping his girlfriend and on the background, there's some commotion, he zooms in and witnesses a murder taking place. Dwayne comes forward with this information in hopes of reaping some kind of reward for it, a fortune that he hopes would be a way out for him and his girlfriend, but there's more to the story than meets the eye, the sheriff suspects foul play and turns out, fortune doesn't fall on your lap that easily in small towns like Cut Bank.

When you have great supporting cast like Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Stuhlbarg, Oliver Platt, Bruce Dern, and John Malkovich, you're in for great performances, they will crack you up. CUT BANK is a case of being in way over your head and come to think of it, the plan probably would work smoothly if it weren't for a certain psycho roaming around town looking for his missing item. It's funny, it's disturbing, it's quirky, it's eccentric, but it's also twisted and in a small town such as this where everybody knows everybody, it's only a matter of time before something 'fishy' gets discovered, in this case, all you gotta do is follow the trail of blood and you'd eventually put the two and two together. So overall, it's a very fun film. Unfortunately, the weakest link is Liam Hemsworth. Whoever thought that this guy could act, was sorely mistaken. Liam's role could've been played by someone who could've shown more stress as the story progresses and as things start to falter and break away from his plans, but none of that expression is clear from Liam, you couldn't get that from his performance and that's just a damn shame. A great role wasted on Liam who offers nothing more than just his good looks.

Read more at Ramascreen.Com

Believability kills this.

[zsorens · 4/10 · 21 January 2020]

Decent film and acting and plot and everything but it just kills me that the main "bad guy" is a mediocre sized man that shows no particularly high levels of intelligence can out smart and out muscle people more clever than him and sometimes twice his size. He frequently overpowers/chokes people clearly much bigger and stronger than him with some type of ridiculous plot armor that it kills any thing this film had going for it, not to mention his very thinly laid out backstory that simply reveals he is kinda weird.

A humorous mystery crime that results in a violent slasher story.

[peterp-450-298716 · 6/10 · 10 June 2015]

"Hi! Welcome to Cut Bank, Montana, where the Rockies meet the Plains. My name's Cassandra Steeley, and I'd like to show you my town full of cheer and wonted kindness."

After reading a few reviews (which I normally ostentatiously refuse to do, just to avoid influence) it seemed that "Cut Bank" is very similar to the famous movie "Fargo" made by the Coen brothers. Although I'm a huge film buff and watched quite some movies, I must admit that I've never seen this infamous film. Should I be ashamed and did I miss a milestone in the history of movies ? Probably yes. But on the other hand I could watch this odd movie unprejudiced. The fact that two leading actors starred in the television series based on the Coen's flagship, probably influenced the forming of an opinion for some. For me, as an unyielding opponent of anything that smells like a TV-series, this was again an asset. It's not a work of art with a capital A, but it has a very high entertainment value.

The whole brouhaha starts when Dwayne (Liam 'The Hunger Games' Hemsworth) and his girlfriend Cassandra (Teresa Palmer) are making a type of promotional film about the town of Cut Bank, a godforsaken place where nothing really spectacular happens, and unexpectedly they witness the murder of the local postman George Wits (Bruce Dern) who makes his rounds with a vintage post car. They confront Sheriff Vogel (John Malkovich) with this murder. The first one that ever happened in Cut Bank. It turns out that there's a reward for those who can provide evidence about the murder of an official postal employee and Dwayne sees the opportunity to start a new life with his girlfriend far away from Cut Bank. However, there's an additional problem. The inspector of the postal service (Oliver Platt) must first see a corpse before he hands over the check. And then there's the strange Derby Milton (Michael Stuhlbarg) who eagerly wants his lost p-p-p-parcel.

The fact that the demand for seeing a dead body causes problems, already indicates that not everything looks as it should be. And you can't tell more about this dark and cynical story without revealing too much. It certainly is all quite absurd and sometimes even humorous. If I should compare it with something, then it's "Twin Peaks" (well I realize that this makes my earlier statement about TV series totally incredible). Actually, the conditions are almost identical. A small community somewhere in no man's land where a murder has been committed. And there are also a bunch of weird residents. In "Cut Bank" you meet some unique personalities such as a sheriff who spontaneously vomits when seeing a murder or a corpse, a speechless "native" who communicates via scribbles on a notepad, a brisk old mailman who's using binoculars to peep at cheerleaders during his round and a crazy taxidermist with an old fashioned pair of glasses with glass like the bottom of a preserving jar who starts to freak out because he didn't receive his parcel. Even the lunch which Sheriff Vogel and inspector Barrett enjoying it, reminded me of Twin Peaks. Only that this wasn't about coffee and pie.

The eccentric characters and the subtle used dark humor made me enjoy this movie. Unfortunately, the two main characters were not of the same caliber as the supporting actors. Hemsworth was not so determined as expected and the whole film he walked around like a sad puppy. His girlfriend Cassandra is charming and handsome, but that's about it. Fortunately there was the supporting cast with sounding names like Malkovich, Billy Bob Thornton, Dern, Stuhlbarg and Platt who already have won their spurs. They all played their colorful character with vigour, although sometimes it was really hard to understand what they were raving about when they used their local vocabulary during conversations. Malkovich stars as the desperate sheriff who, even though this is the first murder in his district, succeeds in unraveling the inextricable tangle of successive events. Dern as the elderly postman is hilarious and brings a few dialogs in such a way that it's clear that he's not suffering from dementia. But especially Stuhlbarg impresses as the slightly deranged, mentally disadvantaged and stuttering Derby Milton. Every time he appears somewhere, bewildered residents ask the same question again and again (one of the subtly placed humorous incidents).

"Cut Bank" is certainly not a masterpiece in terms of originality and it's not a high flyer. There have been many movies about murder mysteries in a seemingly secluded community and "Cut Bank" also adds nothing new to this genre. I fear, however, that Robert Patino couldn't really tell which direction the story should eventually go. The end result is a humorous mystery crime that results in a violent slasher story. It's nowhere really exciting, but nevertheless it was an amusing flick.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

Ugh. Montana is not the south

[reendog · 16 December 2019]

Tried to watch this several times, but the fake, twangy--and forced-- southern accents were ridiculous. Montana is not a southern state, Hollywood. Good grief.

Had potential before the Hollywood plot twist. Spoilers

[ministryofsillywalks-43424 · 3/10 · 20 January 2020]

Starts off as a murder mystery with turns Into a get rich scheme gone wrong. Then for some insane reason a character that is supposed to be smart starts killing the conspirators because he didn't get his package. A waste of time pure and simple waste of a great cast that if they had been given anything good to do could have made a classic.

Way better than the ratings it gets.

[deloudelouvain · 8/10 · 20 July 2015]

After reading the reviews here I was not expecting much with Cut Bank. But at the end of the movie I have to admit that I truly enjoyed this movie. I first was a little bit annoyed by the "parcel" at the end but the next day I suddenly figured it out and then I was even more satisfied with this movie. The stars in this movie are Michael Stuhlbarg, Billy Bob Thorton and John Malkovic. Liam Hemsworth was okay but he shouldn't have had the major role. The other actors were all good as well and made this movie better then the reviews want you to believe. It all starts slowly, but the more you get in the story the better it gets. I saw better movies for sure but I saw also a load of worse movies then Cut Bank. Certainly worth a watch.

Dreamed up by an amateur and carried out by idiots

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 11 June 2015]

With rare exceptions small towns in American cinema are between two extremes. Either they are the ideal place, a shelter against the corruption of the big city or they're these stifling places of conformity where people want to bust loose as soon as possible. In It's A Wonderful Life George Bailey finds it first one way then the other. But in Cut Bank both the title of the film and the town where all the characters live it's most definitely the latter at least that's what Liam Hemsworth finds.

But he's got obligations and a girl he loves in Teresa Palmer daughter of Billy Bob Thornton the richest guy in town. Hemsworth one fine day gets lucky, as he's videoing Palmer for a local beauty pageant in a field he happens to tape David Burke a very silent and stoic Blackfoot Indian shoot mailman Bruce Dern and then take off with the mail truck.

Too good to be true. Clues to solving a federal crime involving the mails is payable by Uncle Sam's post office with a six figure reward. And postal official Oliver Platt is here to pay off. But when things are too good to be true they generally are. Then some bodies start piling up and a local eccentric played by Michael Stuhlbarg starts on a hunt for a missing parcel that was supposed to be delivered in the mail by Dern.

Just like Fargo, another small town setting with a crime spree that originates with a plan dreamed up by an amateur and carried out by idiots.

Cut Bank, Montana is certainly not Bedford Falls. It's more like the film Fargo. In fact there's one very definite parallel, the relationship between Hemsworth and Thornton is almost a duplicate of the one that amateur master criminal William H. Macy has with his father-in-law Harve Presnell. Presnell and Thornton treat the son-in- law and prospective son-in-law like manure which is half the problem.

Sheriff John Malkovich whose sleepy little Montana town has never recorded a murder is soon awash in bodies. But when the truth comes out there's a surprise ending I guarantee you won't see coming especially if you think this is a Fargo clone.

The cast ensemble delivers good performances but if I had to pick one out it would be Stuhlbarg. His town eccentric hermit is underplayed and frightening at the same time, a difficult thing to pull off.

Cut Bank, Montana a town with an unexpected crime wave.

Awful

[jaimemedina-36288 · 3/10 · 12 August 2021]

This movie is way too impressed with its over the top dialogue affection. It just rings phony. Deadpan acting kills the plot which is a shame because I'm a fan of everyone in the cast.

It's a miss.

Entertaining to the end

[polygnotus · 7/10 · 25 May 2015]

I just watched this and found it very enjoyable. The script was compelling, well performed and well directed. The performances were top notch and I will not be surprised at all to see Oscar activity for Bruce Dern. His was a ravishing performance of a ravishing character. Fun for all.

The story was tight and well told with sufficient lack of predictability to keep me fully engaged - a rarity these days. Matt Shakman, who I was unfamiliar with till this, is a director I will watch for.

Overall, this was a fun, intriguing movie and would recommended it to anyone.

A quick sidenote about the performance of Liam Hemsworth. It looks like we have some disgruntled people who have a vendetta.

I had never even heard of Liam Hemsworth till watching this film. But his performance was flawless.

Great actors, but lacking spark and lacking credibility...

[imseeg · 6/10 · 9 May 2021]

Not a bad movie, but there is definitely a lack of spark. The story is not very credible and therefore all the plot turns turn out to be somewhat less impressive than it could have been.

The good: the actors are good. The basic story about a con scheme to collect money which turns deadly is suspenseful.

BUT... in the end this movie is a DUD. It's a sleeping pill. Something's off. Lack of pace, lack of spark, lack of credibility.

Not buying the "bad guy" in this movie...

[jakebrann · 6/10 · 30 June 2020]

I just don't for one minute buy the villain bad guy in this movie! The dude is scrawny and possesses no physically dominant attributes which would explain him overpowering people half his age and twice his size! That wasn't realistic at all and neither was the acting from Hemsworth. He looked like an amateur compared to the rest of the big name cast...

At the end, Hemsworth couldn't warn his girlfriend who was walking through the house and about to fall right into the hands of this bad guy? He just lets her walk right into a gun pointed at her head? That was stupid... I hate dumb $hit like that! Ruins movies for me and then I hope for them to get killed!

Still a pretty good movie that is worth the watch...

Enjoyable

[Gordon-11 · 23 April 2015]

This film tells the story of a young man who witnesses and videos the first murder in a small town in Montana. Things spiral out of control over the next few days, and the town is never the same again.

"Cut Bank" is quite an interesting film, because it's a crime thriller inn a rural area, yet the viewers know the answers before the characters in the film do. It's a gripping story, and keeps me interested throughout, even though the viewers know about the young man's plot almost right from the start. I feel quite sad for the residents of the small town, as it must have been quite as shock for them. The ending also shows how life is different from city life. It's a disturbing and touching at the same time. I enjoyed watching this film.

A Fun Movie

[bob-rutzel-239-525430 · 7/10 · 2 June 2015]

Dwayne (Liam Hemsworth) concocts a plan to video tape the murder of mailman Georgie (Bruce Dern) to get the $100,000 reward and leave Cut Bank, Montana. Georgie and Match (David Burke) the Indian who does the actual shooting are part of the plan. Georgie must stay out of site. Complications arise when Derby Milton needs the package being sent to him in the mail and he goes looking and isn't concerned about anything else. Match was supposed to burn the mail, but didn't. Oh, oh!

Cut Bank is a town in Montana that boasts being the coldest place on earth. So, in a way, this could be considered a FARGO type murder story as we have a plan that doesn't go like it should have. However, the weather isn't cold yet: it's summer time.

You will see Derby be a better detective than Sheriff Vogel (John Malkovich) the way he goes about locating his package but he has a one-track mind and is oblivious to anything else going on around him Sheriff Vogel slowly investigates the murder after having seen the shooting on the video. Joe (Oliver Platt) the Postal Inspector from Washington DC, just needs to see the body to be able to award the $100,000. Big Stan (Billy Bob Thornton) runs an auto repair shop and Dwayne works for him. Cassendra (Teresa Palmer) is Big Stan's daughter and Dwayne's girlfriend, who is practicing to win the Miss Cut Bank title. Now you are up to date.

This is an excellent cast in this well told story. There are some chuckles to be had, but this is not a comedy per se. A comedy of errorssort of. It's a fun movie. Yes, some people die, but Hey: it's only a movie. (waited a long time to throw that one in, eh?)

There is a significant twist at the end - I didn't expect - but it worked well with all involved. (7/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, not much though.

Oh so bad

[juliehampton2012 · 1/10 · 6 April 2020]

Great cast for the most part (except Liam) but terrible storyline. Very slow and boring. Then turns creepy and weird. Then boring again.

A Well Told Tale.

[psenden3 · 7/10 · 24 April 2021]

A superbly casted movie that takes it's time to unravel. Small town ideals are twisted with big city ambitions, only to be unfurled by the movie's characters who compete to the end.

watch Fargo (the movie) instead.

[MathiasWatts · 4/10 · 31 July 2020]

If u like sleepy town movies involving crime and con artistry, watch fargo instead

An engaging noir film in the tradition of the Coen brothers

[ginocox-206-336968 · 8/10 · 27 May 2015]

"Cut Bank" is a moody noir mystery/thriller that deserves much better reviews than the middling critiques it has received. It is evocative of Coen brothers films like "Fargo," "Blood Simple" and "The Ladykillers," but manages to be original and unpredictable. Performances by the top-notch cast are low-key, but credible. The atmosphere is suitably dreary, desolate and depressing. Technical aspects are adequate, if not inspired.

The denouement is emotionally satisfying if one puts ones brain on hold and ignores everything one knows about forensic science. The film offers a flimsy rationale based on the small town setting, but it still tests the limits of the audience's willful suspension of disbelief. However, other events are well-grounded. The motives and capabilities of the villain are a bit over the top, but not so much as to distract.

Overall it is an engaging and original noir film with excellent performances by a talented cast.

A Quirky Plan

[douglasmcbroom · 6/10 · 5 April 2021]

A lot of the critics and reviewers referenced the Cohen Brothers in reviewing this film, but I saw more similarities to Sam Rami's 'A Simple Plan.' The acting is first rate, with one exception, headed by John Malkovich, who stripped bare his performance and produced a gem. Michael Stuhlbarg is a terrific character actor with a great range. Bruce Dern is at his quirky best and Billy Bob Thornton is effectively surprising. The exception is Liam Hemsworth, who is not very good. Channing Tatum, Taylor Kitsch or Joseph Gordon-Leavitt would have beautifully rounded-out this excellent cast. Kudos to Director Matt Shakman and music by James Newton Howard.

Liam Hemsworth RUINED this movie

[steveniemi-89906 · 3/10 · 7 November 2023]

I'm not sure how Laim keeps getting roles outside of a made-for-TV Hallmark movies where talent isn't required. He's co-cast with some real talent here, a good script and set, yet, he still manages to bring down the entire production with his flat, forced delivery. He might as well hold the script and read it out loud likes he's at the table read.

The story keeps moving and has some clever twists. Despite some evening and dimly lit scenes, the movie never gets lost in the deep dark shadows.

Some of the dialog and lines are oddly written, making for a weird rhythm at times.

And as others have commented, the story takes place in Montana, is filmed in Canada yet the characters tend to take on heavily contrived "southern" accents. If I had to place the twang, they tend towards the Texas accent and not the heavier Alabama accent, for example.

Hollywood - please fire Liam Hemsworth and save us all.