Based on the book of the same title by Joe R. Lansdale, "Cold in July" will keep you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning of the film. Not only is it beautifully shot, like all of Jeff Mickle's films, you won't turn away for a second. The cast has been perfectly selected, and it was great to see Michael C. Hall in something completely different after the end of Dexter. Hall, Don Johnson, and Sam Shepard are surprisingly funny each in their own way, which is a nice break in this otherwise dark story. The three work perfectly together, demanding your attention the entire two and a half hours. There were moments where I was scared, nervous, laughing out loud, cheering the characters on (almost out loud in the theater), and nearly in tears. If you're looking for something good, dark, and gritty, "Cold in July" is definitely for you. Plus, you have Michael C. Hall with a mullet in 1989 Texas. What are you waiting for?!
"How can a split-second decision change your life? While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall in an affectingly vulnerable performance) puts a bullet in the brain of lowlife burglar Freddy. Although he's hailed as a small-town hero, Richard soon finds himself fearing for his family's safety when Freddy's ex-con father, Ben (Sam Shepard, August: Osage County) rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge. But not all is as it seems in this seemingly peaceful community, and soon Richard's life begins to unravel into a dark underworld of corruption and violence that will pit him against the most unlikely of foes. Co-starring Don Johnson (Django Unchained) and adapted from the Joe R. Lansdale novel by director Jim Mickle (We Are What We Are). Official Selection Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival 2014."