Undertow (2004)

Following the death of his wife Audrey, John Munn moves with his two sons, mid-teen Chris Munn and adolescent Tim Munn, to a pig farm in rural Drees County, Georgia, where they lead a ... See full summary »

Director:

David Gordon Green

Writers:

Lingard Jervey (story), Joe Conway (screenplay)

Stars:

Jamie Bell, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney

3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jamie Bell	...	Chris Munn
Kristen Stewart	...	Lila
Robert Longstreet	...	Bern
Terry Loughlin	...	Officer Clayton
Dermot Mulroney	...	John Munn
Devon Alan	...	Tim Munn
Josh Lucas	...	Deel Munn
Eddie Rouse	...	Wadsworth Pela
Patrice Johnson	...	Amica Pela
Charles 'Jester' Poston	...	Hard Hat Dandy
Mark Darby Robinson	...	Conway
Pat Healy	...	Grant the Mechanic
Leigh Higginbotham	...	Muriel the Cashier (as Leigh Hill)
Alfred M. Jackson	...	Dock Worker
William D. Turner	...	Dock Worker

Storyline

Following the death of his wife Audrey, John Munn moves with his two sons, mid-teen Chris Munn and adolescent Tim Munn, to a pig farm in rural Drees County, Georgia, where they lead a reclusive life. The boys' maternal grandparents no longer visit due to being out of sorts with John. Chris is rebelling against this life in ways where he is regularly picked up by the police. Because of Tim's young age and health issues, Chris is routinely asked by their father to do more than his fair share of work around the farm. Into their lives returns Deel Munn, John's brother who the two boys did not even know existed. John emotionally distanced himself from Deel following Audrey's death and Deel's incarceration, Deel who has just been released from prison. John, however, welcomes his brother in a effort to mend old wounds, and for the boys to get to know one of their few relations. They will all soon learn that Deel has ulterior motives for his visit, those motives emerging largely from those ...

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Plot Keywords:

police officer | wetting oneself | watching tv | boy | farm | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence

Details

Official Sites:

United Artists [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 December 2004 (Greece)

Also Known As:

The Undertow

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,354, 24 October 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$24,947, 24 October 2010

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, Muskat Filmed Properties, Sunflower Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Black and White (one scene) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Devon Alan's (Tim) monologue about "Chiggars" was not in the script and was totally improvised by the 11 year old.

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Goofs

When Chris and Deel go for a drive, the lock button on Deel's door alternates between up and down.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Grandfather: I never dreamed that the life of my grandsons, which began with such love and comfort, would turn to see so much violence and bloodshed. This is their story as it was told to me.

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Crazy Credits

[at the start of the film] The following film was made with the assistance of the Drees County law enforcement agencies and the surviving family of John W. Munn.

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Connections

Referenced in Under the Undertow (2005)

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Soundtracks

Loving Spoonful Blues
Written by Sôichirô Suzuki (as Sohichiro Suzuki)
Administered by Miracle Master, Inc.
Performed by World Standard
Courtesy of daisyworld discs/ Medium, Inc.

User Reviews

A White Trash Fairy Tale

This is one of the more unique films you are ever going to see. It takes place in a nightmarish world that resembles backwoods Georgia, circa 1973. The story centers around a father and his two sons, who live in what could best be described as a dump. The father is demanding, the older son a rebel and the younger son...just plain weird. Well, something evil this way comes and the two sons escape into the backwoods in search of safety. While the boys are on this journey, they meet interesting characters that help them in some way. It really does play like a white trash fairy tale. I applaud the effort put forward by this director. He wanted to make an escapist movie that resembles some classic midnight movie from the 1970s, and he does. The performances and dialog are excellent. I recommend this film for anybody seeking something different and something entertaining.