Blackway (2015)

An ex-logger comes to the aid of a woman who returns to her hometown in the Pacific Northwest and finds herself harassed and stalked by a former cop turned crime lord.

Director:

Daniel Alfredson

Writers:

Castle Freeman Jr. (based on the book by), Joe Gangemi (screenplay by)

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Lester
Julia Stiles	...	Lillian
Ray Liotta	...	Blackway
Alexander Ludwig	...	Nate
Lochlyn Munro	...	Murdoch
Hal Holbrook	...	Whizzer
Dale Wilson	...	Sheriff Wingate
John Tierney	...	Coop
Glenn Beck	...	D.B.
Steve Bacic	...	Fitzgerald
Kendra Hesketh	...	Cynthia
Audrey Smallman	...	Fitz's Daughter
William Belleau	...	Middle Logger
Travis MacDonald	...	Small Logger
Aaron Pearl	...	Scotty Cavanaugh

Storyline

A modern fable set against the rugged backdrop of a Pacific Northwest logging community, this is the story of Lillian, a young woman newly returned to her hometown who becomes the subject of harassment by a man named Blackway, an ex-cop turned violent crimelord who operates with impunity in this small community on the edge of the wilderness. Forsaken by the local townspeople, advised by the Sheriff to leave town, Lillian decides instead to take a stand against her sociopathic stalker, and enlists the help of an ex-logger Lester and his laconic young sidekick Nate-the only two men in town brave enough, or crazy enough, to go with her, and go up against Blackway.

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Plot Keywords:

woman with a gun | stalker | woman in jeopardy | intruder | loss of daughter | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes revenge is the only answer.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, menace, language and brief nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Go with Me

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,458, 12 June 2016, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$16,458, 12 June 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Enderby Entertainment, Gotham Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Julia Stiles previously played a rape victim in the film State and Main (2000).

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Goofs

When Lester was shot in the back with the high-power hunting rifle he would have dropped dead in his tracks with a hole large enough to put your fist in. I have shot many big game and there is a huge hole where the bullet departs the chest cavity.

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Quotes

Lester: Cancer, car wreck, drugs, dope. Suicide. Relatives. You name it, it's all... it's always going to be something. It's all in the game... Yeah. None of us gets out of this life without some bad stuff comes looking for us. Keep our heads down, hope it passes us by. Or we can, you know, just do what we're doing now.
Lillian: What's that?
Lester: We're gonna meet the son of a bitch, aren't we? Head to head, face to face.

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Soundtracks

Mercedes Bends
Performed by Uncle Nestor
Written by Oless Pasichnyk, Steve Halfnights and Chris Waldner
Courtesy of Uncle Nestor Music

User Reviews

Grey and solemn stand for justice in the forests of the Great Northwest

Released in 2015, "Blackway" is a crime drama/thriller starring Anthony Hopkins as a retired logger who comes to the aid of a harassed woman (Julia Stiles) in Pinterville, Oregon, after the yella sheriff refuses to help. Alexander Ludwig plays the young stuttering redneck who tags along while Ray Liotta appears as the titular heavy. Hal Holbrook has a small role.

This is a grim backwoods drama/thriller with elements of "The Edge" (1997), "First Blood" (1982), "Cry of the Owl" (2009) and "Walking Tall" (2004). It's not great like the first two, not even close, but it's almost on par with "Cry of the Owl" and slightly superior to "Walking Tall." Yet it never cops an unrealistic tone like "Walking Tall" does with its overblown final act. It's a low-key slow burn focusing on life in the logging communities in the Great Northwest.

Speaking of which, one of the best thing about "Blackway" is the mysterious forest cinematography. There are also some small gems to mine, if you watch closely, like the fact that "man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward." Trouble just comes in different packages, as Hopkin's character laments before the showdown.

"Blackway" is essentially a Western taking place in the modern day, substituting pickup trucks and bikes for horses. The movie's simple and straight-forward, which turns some people off. But since 'twist' films are so commonplace now playing it straight almost comes off fresh. I shouldn't close without pointing out that Stiles has better womanly curves now that she's older; and looks great in tight jeans.

The film runs 91 minutes and was shot in British Columbia (Enderby, Vernon, West Kelowna, Lumby, Armstrong & Vancouver). It was directed by Daniel Alfredson from Castle Freeman Jr.'s novel.

GRADE: B-