When a homeless man learns that the man who killed his parents is being released from prison, there is never any doubt what he will do. Dwight (Macon Blair) gets his act together just enough to go hunt that sumbitch down. The job is more complicated than expected, however, and Dwight winds up having to take on the guy's entire, white-trash family.
This is really a story about family feuds, which are a natural consequence of a legal system that lets murderers walk free. People like Dwight feel like they have to take the law into their own hands, and then there's retribution for that, leading to an escalating cycle of violence. The Clelands seek to kill Dwight after he kills their brother, but they also kind of respect him for avenging his parents himself, as it's exactly what they would have done. The justice system is supposed to prevent these kinds of feuds, but it only works if it provides actual justice.
“Blue Ruin” is a low-budget, film-festival film that keeps you on the edge of your seat, with decent performances from a bunch of unknown actors. It's also one of the most realistic revenge movies I've seen. Dwight isn't some superhero, ex-special-forces bad-ass. He's just an ordinary, schlubby, depressed guy who turns out to be extremely motivated. It's a good revenge story, and while there isn't much to say about it, it's well worth watching.
3 stars out of 5
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