Shotgun Stories

Warring clans from rural Arkansas face off in this mythic parable about revenge, festering resentment, marginalized identity and class, the feature debut of filmmaker Jeff Nichols. After an old family injury prompts a primal insult, two sets of half-brothers are immersed in a spiraling, self-destructive blood feud. At its nexus are three brothers, Son (Michael Shannon), Kid and Boy, fathered by an alcoholic who abandoned his family, sobered up and found Jesus. "An understated gem ... Nichols is a talent to watch" - Los Angeles Times.