News

Ed Harris is heading back behind the camera to take the helm on an adaptation of Kim Zupan’s acclaimed novel ‘The Ploughmen.’

Joining the cast on the neo-noir crime thriller are Owen Teague, Nick Nolte and Bill Murray. Amy Madigan and Lily Harris are also set for the film.

The film is said to be set in the wilderness of Montana, where a strange friendship develops between a haunted young deputy sheriff and a notorious old murderer. John Gload (Nolte) is a killer so adept at his job that only now has he been apprehended. Val Millimaki (Teague) is a low man in the Copper County Sheriff’s Department. As Val continues his unlucky streak of finding dead bodies, Sheriff (Murray) puts him on night duty to try and get Gload to reveal his past. Val finds much in common with his prisoner and dangerously seeks counsel from him.

Ed Harris — recently seen starring alongside Kristen Stewart in “Love Lies Bleeding” — is getting back behind the camera to direct his own adaptation of Kim Zupan’s acclaimed novel “The Ploughmen.” Owen Teague, currently playing the lead in “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” Nick Nolte and Bill Murray have come on board to star in the neo-noir crime thriller, which will go into production in Montana this Fall. Amy Madigan and Lily Harris are also set for the film.

“The Ploughmen” will mark Harris’ third feature as director after his Western “Appaloosa” and multi-Oscar nominated “Pollock.” Described being in the vein of “Hell or High Water” and “Wind River,” the film is set in the wilderness of Montana, where a strange friendship develops between a haunted young deputy sheriff and a notorious old murderer. John Gload (Nolte) is a killer so adept at his job that only now has he been apprehended.

Ed Harris is set to direct an adaptation of Kim Zupan’s acclaimed neo-noir novel The Ploughmen.

Nick Nolte, Bill Murray and Owen Teague are set to star in the movie, which will go into production in Montana this Fall. Amy Madigan and Lily Harris are also set for the film.

The Ploughmen follows a strange friendship that develops between a haunted young deputy sheriff and a notorious old murderer, according to the film’s synopsis: “John Gload (Nolte) is a killer so adept at his job that only now has he been apprehended. Val Millimaki (Teague) is low man in the Copper County Sheriff department. As Val continues his unlucky streak of finding dead bodies, Sheriff (Murray) puts him on night duty to try and get Gload to reveal his past. Val finds much in common with his prisoner, and dangerously seeks counsel from him.”

Harris, Ginger Sledge and...

Ed Harris is lining up his third directorial outing and will adapt Kim Zupan’s neo-noir novel crime thriller The Ploughmen to star Owen Teague, Nick Nolte, and Bill Murray.

Concourse Media will introduce the project to international buyers in Cannes this week.

Production is scheduled to begin in Montana in autumn, with Amy Madigan and Lily Harris also on the cast.

Harris, Ginger Sledge, Claude Dal Farra and Brian Keady of Bcdf Pictures, and Robert Knott are producing, while Matthew Shreder and Grant Mohrman serve as executive producers.

In the vein of Hell Or High Water and Wind River,...

The dynamics between fathers and sons, and whether the younger generation can ever escape the family legacy, is at the heart of “Devil’s Peak.” It’s apt then that director Ben Young cast Hopper Penn — son of Sean — as his lead. In this adaptation of David Joy’s novel “Where All Light Tends to Go,” the father, Charlie (Billy Bob Thornton), is a drug lord in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains, with a firm grip on his son’s life and livelihood. Jacob (Penn) works as a runner for his dad, while the latter withholds his wages, thus totally controlling his son. Young and screenwriter Robert Knott build on these intriguing family dynamics to create an entertaining drama that’s unfortunately let down by its lead performance.

The conflict between father and son takes hold when Jacob falls for a local woman (Katelyn Nacon) at the same time that Charlie...

Billy Bob Thornton in Devil’s Peak Photo: Screen Media Films The right cast can make a plodding film watchable, an Ok film good, and a good film great. One reason actors like Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep are so beloved, for instance, is because they can elevate something that’s otherwise predictable and bland.

Exclusive: Industry veteran Josh Kesselman is joining Sugar23 as a producer and manager in the company’s expanding management division.

“Coming to Sugar23 is a dream come true. Michael and I have been talking about working together for years and what better time than in the year 2023! Could not be more excited to be working with all of my new colleagues. The energy and growth at this company is second to none!” said Kesselman.

Prior to Sugar23, Kesselman spent the last decade at Thruline Entertainment. His most recent projects include the Emmy-winning television series The Great and the documentary Obey Giant for Hulu, the docuseries Medal of Honor for Netflix, Dean Craig’s comedy The Estate starring Toni Collette, Anna Faris, and David Duchovny, and A Little White Lie with Michael Shannon and Kate Hudson. Upcoming projects include the crime thriller Devil’s Peak starring Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright, and Hopper Penn,...

Exclusive: Screen Media has acquired North American rights to the crime thriller Devil’s Peak, starring Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton (The Gray Man), Golden Globe winner Robin Wright (Wonder Woman 1984), Hopper Penn (War Machine) and Academy Award nominee Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen).

The film picked up by the Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company will be released exclusively in theaters on February 17, with a digital release to follow on February 24.

The film directed by Ben Young (Hounds of Love) is based on the novel Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy. Set in the Appalachian Mountains, it watches as a family is dominated by a crime lord (Thornton) who uses his fists to control both them and his business. When his son (Penn) meets the girl of his dreams (Katelyn Nacon), desperately wanting to escape the life he is expected to lead and free himself...

Exclusive: Harrison Gilbertson, Katelyn Nacon and David Kallaway have joined the cast of Where All Light Tends to Go. Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright, Hopper Penn, Jackie Earle Haley, Brian D’arcy James and Emma Booth are also starring.

Ben Young will direct with and Robert Knott penning the script based on David Joy’s novel. The film will be produced by Griff Furst of Curmudgeon Films, Josh Kesselman of Thruline Entertainment and Wright. Ruth Bornhauser will co-produce.

Based on the David Joy novel, the story is set in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains, where Jacob McNeely is torn between appeasing his meth-dealing kingpin father and leaving the mountains forever with the girl he loves. Kallaway will also co-produce.

Gilbertson will be seen next in Amazon Studios’ The Peripheral. His other recent credits include Picnic at Hanging Rock and In the Tall Grass. He is repped by Anonymous Content and Helen Pandos Management.

Exclusive: Emma Booth, Brian d’Arcy James and Jackie Earle Haley have joined the cast of Where All Light Tends To. Ben Young will direct with and Robert Knott penning the script based on David Joy’s novel.

They join the previously announced leads Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright and Hopper Penn. Production began November 1st in Atlanta, Georgia.

The film will be produced by Griff Furst of Curmudgeon Films, Josh Kesselman of Thruline Entertainment and Wright. Ruth Bornhauser will co-produce. Based on the David Joy novel, the story is set in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains, where Jacob McNeely is torn between appeasing his meth-dealing kingpin father and leaving the mountains forever with the girl he loves.

Booth can be seen next in the Anonymous Content TV Studios adaptation of Proxy. She is repped by represented by Anonymous Content and Shanahan Management.

James can be seen next in as Officer...

Robin Wright and Billy Bob Thornton are set to star in a thriller from director Ben Young called “Where All Light Tends to Go,” an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Bankside Films will be introducing the movie to buyers and production is scheduled for November.

Hopper Penn also stars in the film, which comes from a script by “Appaloosa” writer Robert Knott and is based on a 2015 novel of the same name by David Joy.

“Where All Light Tends to Go” is set in the Appalachian Mountains and is a thriller about a boy whose father is a domineering and violent crime lord, but when he meets the girl of his dreams and looks to escape his father’s control, he has to go head to head with his father who will stop at nothing to keep control.

Robin Wright will also produce “Where All Light Tends...

Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright and Hopper Penn are set to star in “Where All Light Tends to Go.” Bankside Films has boarded sales on the film, which will be directed by Ben Young.

The screenplay was written by Robert Knott (“Appaloosa”), based on the novel written by David Joy. Production is scheduled for November.

Set in the Appalachian Mountains, “Where All Light Tends to Go” is a tense thriller about a family dominated by a crime lord who controls his family and his business with his fists. When his son meets the girl of his dreams, desperately wanting to escape the life he is expected to lead and freeing himself from the clutches of his father, he is forced to go head to head with the terrifying man who will stop at nothing to ensure loyalty from all of those around him.

Young said: “Very rarely do words jump...

Exclusive: Ed Harris has set Robert Duvall and Garret Hedlund to star in The Ploughmen. This will be the third film that Harris directs, after Pollock and Appaloosa. Harris wrote the screenplay, adapted from Kim Zupan’s 2014 debut novel. Amy Madigan and newcomer Lily Harris are also set for the film.

Pic is slated to begin filming in early May on location in the Missouri Breaks area of Montana, and in New Mexico.

Ginger Sledge of Zenzero Pictures is set to produce, as is Robert Knott who produced Appaloosa together with Sledge and Harris.

The Ploughmen is the story of the strange friendship that develops between a haunted young deputy sheriff and a notorious old murderer that turns both their worlds upside down. The men sit across from each other in the dark, talking through the bars of a county jail cell.

Monday, Nov. 23 HanWay Films Closes Sales on ‘Peggy Jo’

HanWay Films has closed multiple international sales for Phillip Noyce’s “Peggy Jo,” with Lily James attached to star as Peggy Jo Tallas, who robbed Texas banks in the early 1990s while posing as a man.

A deal with Universal Pictures Content Group includes Benelux, German speaking Europe, Italy, Portugal, Scandinavia, and the UK. HanWay Films has also closed deals with DeAPlaneta (Spain), Tohokushinsha (Japan), Noori Pictures (South Korea), Shaw (Singapore), Odeon (Greece) and Front Row (Middle East). “Peggy Jo” is being adapted for the screen by “Appaloosa” writer Robert Knott and will be shot in the United States.

“Peggy Jo” is produced by Simon Brooks through his Canyon Creek Films. UTA Independent Film Group is handling the U.S. sale. James’ recent credits include “Rebecca,” “Yesterday,” “Baby Driver” and “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.”

‘The Vineyard’ Scheduled for 2021 Shoot...

HanWay Films has closed a string of international pre-sales on Phillip Noyce’s true-crime love story Peggy Jo, which is set to star Lily James.

Universal Pictures Content Group has picked up the movie for Benelux, German speaking Europe, Italy, Portugal, Scandinavia, Turkey, UK, Bulgaria, former Yugoslavia, Czech & Slovak Republics, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Cis, Baltics, Israel, West Indies, South Africa, Hong Kong, Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South East Asia Pay TV, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Latin America.

Deals have also closed with DeAPlaneta (Spain), Tohokushinsha (Japan), Noori Pictures (South Korea), Shaw (Singapore), Odeon (Greece) and Front Row (Middle East).

James will play Peggy Jo – a bank robber who committed her heists while dressed as a man – in the film from Salt director Noyce. Loosely based on the true story of the real-life Peggy Jo, the pic is being pitched as ‘Bonnie but without the Clyde’ and has been adapted...

Film tells the story of Texan criminal Peggy Jo Tallas.

Lily James has signed on to star in Peggy Jo, the true-crime story of Texan bank robber Peggy Jo Tallas, directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt).

The story will be adapted by Appaloosa writer Robert Knott, and shot on location in the southern United States.

HanWay Films is handling international sales and distribution on the title, and will introduce the project to buyers at the upcoming Cannes virtual Marché (June 22-26).

Peggy Jo is produced by Simon Brooks through La-based Canyon Creek Films. Brooks previously produced romance Love, Rosie.

It will follow Tallas,...

Phillip Noyce is to direct the true-crime love story “Peggy Jo,” starring “Baby Driver” and “Yesterday” actress Lily James. The film is loosely based on the true-story of the life of Texan Peggy Jo Tallas, who takes to robbing banks while posing as a man. Adapted for the screen by “Appaloosa” writer Robert Knott the film will be shot on location in Southern U.S.

“Peggy Jo” is produced by Simon Brooks through his L.A.-based production entity Canyon Creek Films; Brooks previously produced “Love, Rosie,” and executive produced “White Noise.” HanWay Films has picked up international sales rights, and will introduce the project to the buyers at the Cannes Virtual Market. UTA Independent Film Group is handling the U.S. sale.

Peggy Jo (James) is a beautiful person, prone to be romantically lost in books and films; however she is not the sort of person who lets life...

Lily James will play Peggy Jo – a bank robber who committed her heists while dressed as a man – in a true-crime story from Salt director Phillip Noyce.

Loosely based on the true story of the real-life Peggy Jo, the pic is being pitched as ‘Bonnie but without the Clyde’ and has been adapted for screen by Appaloosa writer Robert Knott. It will shoot on location in Southern United States.

Producers are Simon Brooks through his Los Angeles production entity Canyon Creek Films. HanWay Films has picked up international sales rights and will introduce the project to the buyers at the upcoming Cannes Virtual Market. UTA Independent Film Group is handling the U.S. sale.

James recently appeared in The Beatles-inspired Yesterday and has Ben Wheatley’s adaptation of Rebecca for Netflix upcoming.

Simon Brooks said, “I have been looking to make a movie with Phillip Noyce for years and...

Yesterday and Baby Driver star Lily James is set to take the lead in true-crime feature Peggy Jo from award-winning director Phillip Noyce (Salt, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Dead Calm). 

James will play Peggy Jo Tallas, billed a "real-life Bonnie but without a Clyde," who takes to robbing banks while posing as a man. Adapted for the screen by Appaloosa writer Robert Knott, the film will be shot on location in southern United States.  

Peggy Jo is produced by Simon Brooks through his L.A.-based production entity Canyon Creek Films; Brooks previously produced Love, Rosie and executive produced White Noise. HanWay Films has picked up international sales ...

Yesterday and Baby Driver star Lily James is set to take the lead in true-crime feature Peggy Jo from award-winning director Phillip Noyce (Salt, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Dead Calm). 

James will play Peggy Jo Tallas, billed a "real-life Bonnie but without a Clyde," who takes to robbing banks while posing as a man. Adapted for the screen by Appaloosa writer Robert Knott, the film will be shot on location in southern United States.  

Peggy Jo is produced by Simon Brooks through his L.A.-based production entity Canyon Creek Films; Brooks previously produced Love, Rosie and executive produced White Noise. HanWay Films has picked up international sales ...

Appaloosa scribe Robert Knott has signed on to write a biopic about Bradley Snyder, the U.S. Navy officer who lost his sight after being hit by an Ied during a tour in Afghanistan but overcame it to become a Paralympic gold medal swimmer. Snyder was a Navy explosive ordinance disposal officer in the war, and after the bombing needed multiple facial reconstructive surgeries before eventually going blind. Exactly one year after his vision loss, though, he won two gold…...

The only big film festival in my own backyard is back and it runs from November 12th through the 22nd. While it caters more to heavy run fest material and arthouse film, they do have some of the more interesting films playing this year:

Ryan Ward's excellent Son of the Sunshine which is one of my favorite films of the year. (review)

The weird, lengthy comedy The Revenant (review)

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

and much more. Program after the break!

In Competition

Children of Invention

Two first-generation Chinese kids in suburban Boston find themselves on their own after their desperate mother is unwittingly involved in a pyramid scheme and arrested. Older brother Raymond takes a page from her marketing seminars to start creating a life for himself and his sister - casting a strange, pint-sized reflection on the American Dream.

Footprints...

The Santa Barbara Film Festival is underway now, and amidst the screenings there is also a series of panels going on. Aint it Cool have had their man Quint on the scene, and he’s filed a report from the writers panel.

Moderated by Variety’s Ann Thompson, the remainder of the panel was made up of screenwriters: Dustin Lance Black, writer of Milk; Robert Knott, writer of Appaloosa; Tom McCarthy, writer-director of The Visitor; and Andrew Stanton, co-writer and director of Wall-e.

Quint managed to glean a few solid nuggets of news, not only from the panel but from a luncheon beforehand. We already knew a fair bit about Stanton’s plans, but here are the new bits and pieces:

- Yes, his John Carter will be a Civil War soldier. No fanbase-rattling updates into the modern day here. Presumably still a Johnny Reb - but that wasn’t...

The western genre is a tricky one for feature films nowadays. They used to be a dime a dozen, but it seems they went out of style for good after Clint Eastwood made the superb Unforgiven in 1992 and has yet to return to the genre. Kevin Costner made the stinker of a film in Wyatt Earp in 1994 but then redeemed himself in 2003 with the under-appreciated and under seen Open Range. Even those that want to point to Tombstone have to remember it was released in 1993 and another great western in The Proposition has been virtually ignored. Hell, despite being set in space Serenity was a fantastic western in 2005 and spaceships couldn't even get audiences into the seats. Nope, to make a western is to be all alone on the range with a camera, some dirt and hopefully a story compelling enough to make your money back on home video. Appaloosa...

Appaloosa

Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen are unlikely cowboys, Jeremy Irons is an even more unlikely villain, and Renée Zellweger is the least likely "proper widow" the Old West has ever seen. Appaloosa is a fitfully entertaining, post, post-modern Western; Eric D. described it well as "a buddy movie, a rough-and-tumble, no-girls-allowed, steak-and-potatoes romp that happens to be set in the Old West." The DVD includes an audio commentary by Harris (director/co-writer) and Robert Knott (co-writer/producer), four behind the scenes mini-features, and deleted scenes. Also on Blu-ray. Rent it.

Swing Vote

Like Appaloosa, Swing Vote was pretty much ignored during its theatrical run, but deserves to find its audience on home video. Kevin Costner is in his everyman, blue collar mode here, which means the film is immensely likable and funny. He plays a small town loser, with a way too precocious daughter, who must cast the deciding vote in a presidential election.

DVD Links: DVD News | Release Dates | New Dvds | Reviews | RSS Feed Paramount Centennial Collection

Breakfast At Tiffany's / Funny Face In the next couple days I will be doing one complete article for the first five releases from Paramount Home Entertainment for their Centennial Collection, which has certainly been pro Audrey Hepburn up to this point with four of the first five films released starring the '50s and '60s beauty (and boy was she beautiful). This week we have Breakfast at Tiffany's and Funny Face and I can only comment on Tiffany's as I have not seen Funny Face yet, but it is playing in the background as I type. Personally I am not much of a fan of Tiffany's even though it is considered to be such a classic. This isn't to say I dislike it as much as I just can't quite figure it out. Is it a comedy?...

Chicago – I expect “Appaloosa” to be one of the more hard-to-get movies at your local video stores for the next few months. It’s the kind of movie - action-driven and widely missed in theaters - that does very well on the home market. Renters will find an old-fashioned Western that may not transcend its genre but will certainly provide more than enough entertainment on a snowy winter’s eve.

With “Appaloosa,” the great Ed Harris steps behind the camera to direct for the first time since “Pollock,” and the result is an old-fashioned Western in the mold of “3:10 to Yuma” or “Open Range”. Harris shoots for the timeless quality of the genre, the one that makes “Appaloosa” feel like it could have been made fifty years ago without much change to the production at all. On one hand, it’s refreshing to see an ensemble as talented as...

Check out red carpet photos from La premiere of New Line Cinema's "Appaloosa" including Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and more! The preem took place at the Academy Theater / Beverly Hills, CA. on September 18th. The film makes its expansion this weekend into 800+ venues. Also in the cast are Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen, Mike Watson, Rex Linn, Tom Bower, Boyd Kestner, Gabriel Marantz. Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises"), four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris ("Pollock"), Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger ("Cold Mountain") and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune") star in the Western "Appaloosa," adapted from the Robert B. Parker novel. All images copyright© Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the...

MoviesOnline sat down with Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger, Jeremy Irons, Michael London, and Robert Knott at the Toronto International Film Festival to talk about their new Western, “Appaloosa,” directed by Harris from a screenplay by Knott & Harris based on the novel by Robert B. Parker. Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, “Appaloosa” revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the lawless towns springing up in the untamed...

Warner Bros released a brand new movie poster featuring Ed Harris for the upcoming western “Appaloosa” by director Ed Harris (Pollock) and starring Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises), Renée Zellweger (My One and Only), Jeremy Irons and Lance Henriksen (Alone in the Dark II). The screenplay is written by Robert Knott and Ed Harris. Synopsis: Two friends are hired to protect a small town from a renegade rancher find their plans disrupted and their friendship tested when an attractive widow arrives in town. Based on the novel by Robert B. Parker. Stay tuned to Toxic Shock TV for the latest Appaloosa movie news and posters.

Warner Bros released a brand new movie trailer for the upcoming western “Appaloosa” by director Ed Harris (Pollock) and starring Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises), Renée Zellweger (My One and Only), Jeremy Irons and Lance Henriksen (Alone in the Dark II). The screenplay is written by Robert Knott and Ed Harris. Synopsis: Two friends are hired to protect a small town from a renegade rancher find their plans disrupted and their friendship tested when an attractive widow arrives in town. Based on the novel by Robert B. Parker. Stay tuned to Toxic Shock TV for the latest Appaloosa movie news and posters.

Take a look at the latest movie poster from the upcoming western “Appaloosa” by director Ed Harris (Pollock) and starring Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises), Renée Zellweger (My One and Only), Jeremy Irons and Lance Henriksen (Alone in the Dark II). The screenplay is written by Robert Knott and Ed Harris. Synopsis: Two friends are hired to protect a small town from a renegade rancher find their plans disrupted and their friendship tested when an attractive widow arrives in town. Based on the novel by Robert B. Parker. Stay tuned to Toxic Shock TV for the latest Appaloosa movie news and posters.

Skouras Films, headed by Tom Skouras, has acquired U.S. rights to Doug Sadler's Swimmers, produced by Melanie Backer, David W. Leitner and Michael Yanko. It plans to launch the film in major markets early next year. The deal was negotiated by John Manulis of VisionBox Media and Skouras. The Sundance Channel has pay TV rights in a deal negotiated by Cinetic Media. Swimmers, which played last weekend's Hamptons International Film Festival, stars Cherry Jones, Shawn Hatosy, Robert Knott, Michael Mosley, Sarah Paulson and Tara Devon Gallagher.

PARK CITY -- Before Miramax brought independent film to the multiplex and Sundance made it a national sport, American independent cinema was about regional filmmaking. Small, well-told stories rooted in a specific time and place. A rocky coming-of-age tale set along the Maryland coast, "Swimmers" is that kind of film. Mature audiences looking for a deeply-felt, human-scale story should be given the chance to enjoy this one in theaters.

More than anything, "Swimmers" is a realistic and loving portrait of a twelve-year-old girl's inner life. Emma Tyler Tara Devon Gallagher) is, in her father's words, a peeler--a young crab that is shedding its shell before moving on to the next stage of growth. Unfortunately, Emma's serene if not particularly joyful life hits a snag when she develops an ear problem that calls for a costly operation.

Living off the water in the Chesapeake Bay is at best a precarious business. Emma's father Will (Robert Knott) fishes for crabs and oysters but changing economics and environmental conditions make it a losing proposition. A strong, silent type, he is predictably driven to drink by his shortcomings, which leaves the work of keeping the family together and finding money to the matriarch Julia (Cherry Jones).

Perhaps because it's a region that has not been seen a lot on film, it is easy to feel the beauty as well as the hardship of life here. As her family situation worsens, Emma makes friends with Merrill (Sarah Paulson), a highly strung young woman with a troubled past who has just returned to town. The two form a bond based on old suffering and new respect. Sarah is the kind of strange presence we meet in movies who comes into someone's life and leaves. Dark and given to manic bouts of depression, Sarah is an intriguing character who could have used a bit more backstory.

The complications of the plot are not surprising and almost besides the point. Emma's brother Clyde (Sean Hatosy) falls for Sarah; that doesn't work out. There's bad blood between Clyde and Emma's other brother Mike (Michael Mosley) and the two come to blows. And Julia and Will's marriage is threatened. Emma's one sanctuary had always been her love of swimming, but now with her ear problem, she can't even do that. In one way or another, everyone's life here is dependent on the water.

What really makes "Swimmers" special are the small touches rather than the big dramatic flourishes. Writer/director Doug Sadler somehow gets inside the head of a twelve-year-old girl and manages to communicate her dreams and fears. And it's the wonderful performances that make these people come alive. Gallagher, in her film debut, is soulful without being sappy, and Jones as her mother turns in her usual nuanced work. She can show more with a crease of the brow than most actors can with a page of dialogue. Veteran character actor Knott captures the darkness and light and quicksilver personality of a man at his wit's end. Beautiful work all around.

These are not just characters who were plopped down in an unusual location because someone thought it would be an interesting place to shoot a movie. They belong here and their lives are part of the environment. Rodney Taylor's sensitive photography captures the uniqueness of the place but also the harshness as seen through a young girl's eyes. Although the story is familiar, the specifics make you feel like you've been taken someplace new.

SWIMMERS

Damage Control Filmproduction, Horizon Global Productions, Quasiworld Entertainment

Credits:

Director: Doug Sadler

Writer: Sadler

Producers: Melanie Backer, David W. Leitner, Michael Yanko

Executive producer: Ophira Dagan, Lisa Green

Director of photography: Rodney Taylor

Production designer: Mark White

Music: Paul Cantelon, David Darling

Co-producer: Daniel Bickel

Costume designer: Ane Crabtree

Editors: Lilah Bankier, Affonso Goncalves, Susan Korda.

Cast:

Emma: Tara Devon Gallagher

Julia: Cherry Jones

Will: Robert Knott

Clyde: Shawn Hatosy

Merrill: Sarah Paulson

Mike: Michael Mosley

Shellie: Kate Goehring

No MPAA rating

Running time -- 90 minutes...