Watch Bad Country

Bad Country is a gritty crime drama from 2014 that stars Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, and Neal McDonough. The movie is set in Louisiana and follows a veteran detective named Bud Carter (Dillon) who's been working on a case for years. The case involves an organized crime ring that operates in Baton Rouge, and Bud has been trying to bring them down for a long time.

When a contract killer named Jesse Weiland (McDonough) is arrested and agrees to testify against the crime ring, Bud sees this as an opportunity to finally take down the organization. However, he soon realizes that the case is much more complex than he initially thought, and the lines between good and evil become blurred as Bud navigates a dangerous underworld.

The movie is full of tense moments and explosive action, but it's also a character-driven film that explores the moral ambiguities of police work. Bud is a sympathetic protagonist, but he's also a flawed and complicated character. He has a wife and child, but his devotion to his job often means that he neglects his family. He's also willing to bend the rules to get results, which puts him at odds with some of his colleagues.

Willem Dafoe plays a pivotal role in the film as a federal agent named Kiersey. Kiersey is brought in to help with the case, but he quickly becomes a thorn in Bud's side. Kiersey is a by-the-book kind of guy, and he doesn't appreciate Bud's methods. Dafoe plays the character with a quiet intensity, and his scenes with Dillon are some of the best in the film.

Neal McDonough is excellent as Jesse Weiland. Jesse is a complicated character who's hard to judge. He's a family man who's been forced to do terrible things, but he's also a cold-blooded killer. McDonough brings a lot of depth to the character, and his performance is both menacing and sympathetic.

The supporting cast is also strong. Amy Smart plays Bud's wife, and she's great in the few scenes she has. Tom Berenger has a smaller role as a crime boss, but he brings a lot of gravitas to the part. Chris Marquette and Don Yesso also stand out as two of the criminal organization's underlings.

The film is directed by Chris Brinker, who sadly passed away before the movie was released. Brinker was a longtime producing partner of Willem Dafoe's, and Bad Country was his directorial debut. It's a shame that Brinker wasn't around to see the movie's release because it's a strong debut.

The movie's pacing is deliberate, but it never feels slow. There are enough action sequences to keep things exciting, but the film's real strength is its character development. The screenplay by Jonathan Hirschbein and Tom Abernathy is well-written and full of great dialogue. The film's Louisiana setting is also used to great effect, and the cinematography by Zoran Popovic captures the region's natural beauty and grit.

Overall, Bad Country is a highly enjoyable crime drama that's worth checking out. The film's strong performances and character-driven story make it stand out from similar genre fare, and it's a fitting tribute to its late director. While the movie didn't receive a wide release and flew under the radar for many viewers, it's certainly worth seeking out.

Bad Country is a 2014 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.8.