Film Review: "Stillwater" (2021).

"Secrets run deep" in Stillwater. This crime drama film directed by Tom McCarthy and written by McCarthy, Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré. The film follows an American oil-rig roughneck from Oklahoma who travels to Marseille to visit his estranged daughter, in prison for a murder she claims she did not commit. Confronted with language barriers, cultural differences, and a complicated legal system, Bill builds a new life for himself in France as he makes it his personal mission to exonerate his daughter.

In July 2019, it was announced that Matt Damon was set to star in a crime drama film loosely based on the Amanda Knox story penned and to be directed by McCarhy. By August, Abigail Breslin, Camille Cottin and Deanna Dunagan rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place throughout Oklahoma, USA and in Marseille, France. McCarthy explained in an interview how he and Matt Damon immersed themselves in the culture of Oklahoma oil "roughnecks" for the film. The film was previously scheduled for a November 6, 2020 release date, but it was later pulled from the schedule and delayed to July 30, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film stars Damon, Breslin, Cottin and Dunagan. It's those characters, and the performances given by the cast (especially Damon), who gave the rhythm to the story, they make the heart of the movie beat.

The film is a taut, pulse-pounding thriller. The all-star cast delivers realistic and transformative performances. The film is a nearly perfect example of what happens when the perfect filmmaker works with the perfect script and acquires the perfect cast and crew to bring a story to life. The film reminds us the relevance of truth in a society where the search for truth has been kidnapped by fallacies. The script is a marvel of conveying a dense amount of information and characterization with intelligence, grace, and a surprising amount of tension. For people who care about justice and the value of a just society, the film is a master class on how things should be done. The film has everything you need from a night at the movies - gripping, enlightening, shocking, distressing, triumphant. The film treats the subject of the investigation with the utmost respect and gives it the weight that it deserves. As a much-needed ode to the type of media coverage this country is desperately, painfully, ominously in need of, the film is an important film. Absorbing and understated, the film handles its complex subject matter with class, restraint and, vitally, balance. The film isn't the kind that just changes some facts; it's one where the most general plot summary contradicts what happened. It's clearly a salient story to tell, and the earnestness of the production makes it trundle along breezily enough to its predictable conclusion. The film reminds us all we should never take things at face value, our hearts should always search for the truth.

Simon says Stillwater receives:

Also, see my review for Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made.