Fantasia '19 Film Review - Blood on Her Name

Leigh (Bethany Anne Lind) has just made a catastrophic mistake. She is in her auto repair shop Tiller's Auto with blood on her that's not her's staring at a body by the car hoist as a growing pool of blood forms. She is not unaccustomed to trouble. Her husband is in jail, her son Ryan (Jared Ivers) has to meet regularly with his parole officer and pee in a cup plus her dad works for the Sheriff's office but has fractured a serious rule on more than one occasion. Leigh grabs her cell phone to call 911 but stops. Deciding instead to get rid of the body setting in motion a series of events each making it harder to escape her inevitable fate over the likely result if she had made the call.

Director Matthew Pope who along with Don Thompson wrote the story of a series of desperate people living on the fringes in flyover country. Money is tight, prospects are worse and the players seem doomed to follow the behavioural patterns of the generation that came before. The writers put a sharp edge on the narrative that gives it bite. The wardrobe is mechanic grease and sweat stained with the beverages of choice being domestic beer and whiskey.

Bethany Anne Lind gives a strong physical performance as Leigh. She does a lot of heavy lifting but has an underlying sense of justice that can lead her astray. Will Patton is cut straight through to quick as Sheriff Department Officer Teller. He sizes up a situation ready to act whether the intended course adheres to or is against the law. Elizabeth Rohn is drawn into this conflict late as the victim's wife holding her wits well against the seasoned foes opposing her.

Blood on Her Name is a story that will hold interest throughout its brisk 85 minutes run time. It starts in the middle of the central event then introduces the well composed core group of characters who have depth seemingly from the moment they appear on the screen. It's a weighty presentation by a first time feature director that is well worth the watch.

*** Out of 4

Blood On Her Name | Matthew Pope | U.S.A. | 2019 | 85 Minutes.

Tags: Running Cars, Mechanic, Auto Repair Shop, Murder, Shrinkwrap, Parole, Necklace,  Colorado.