Review: GALVESTON (2018) *** and a 1\2 out of *****

Based on the novel of the same name by Nic Pizzolatto, the creator of the groundbreaking TV series True Detective, Galveston (2018) is a somewhat uneasy mixture of noir, American Gothic, and tragedy. But even if the elements don't always gel as effectively as they should, especially in the second act where there's a noticeable dramatic lull, the film, as a whole, works on many levels.

The story is simple: The time is 1988. The place New Orleans. A dying middle-aged fixer/hitman working for a local mobster, walks into a set-up, is nearly killed, and in the process of escaping rescues a teenage prostitute. They embark on a road trip to Texas, where they both have scores to settle. From there, the film takes some dramatic turns; some expected (the burgeoning, emotionally complex relationship between the hitman and the girl; the need for redemption), some not, especially in the quietly masterful and heartbreaking third act.

A film of this kind - subdued, easy on plot - mostly hinges on the direction and the performances, and both are quite good. Director Melanie Laurent handles the material with assurance, opting for a steady, visually effective, if not flashy, style that doesn't get in the way of the story. And while Elle Fanning's performance is flawed yet touching, Ben Foster delivers one of his best performances as a violent man struggling with his nature, as he embarks on the road to a salvation that might just be impossible to reach.

Powerful, poignant, compelling, and ultimately moving, Galveston is a minor noir classic that deserves to be seen.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2021.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of the feature film Wingrave, released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer