Wizard-8 Sometimes when you take a chance on a movie that you stumble upon, you find a real gem. I knew nothing about this movie before I happened upon it at my local library, but I decided to give it a chance, and I'm glad that I did. There are many good things to be found in this movie. As others here have pointed out, the movie is REALLY atmospheric - you can really feel the cold, damp, and extreme poverty the characters are living in. There are also some really good moments of suspense, like the scene taking place in the motel room. And the acting from all the players is very well done; you can really sense that their characters come from a world of desperation (of more than one kind.)Is there anything negative to say about this movie? Well, for me, I didn't find anything that I objected to. One thing that MIGHT bother some viewers is that the movie is somewhat slow; if you are looking for a slam-bang thriller, this is not the movie for you. But I was in a patient mood when I sat down to watch the movie, and the slow pace did not bother me at all. While the movie may be slow, it isn't boring. Just be sure you are in the appropriate mood when you sit down to watch this.

jormatuominen This is a very well made film in all respects. As such it will work for very different viewers. If you just want to be entertained, the simple yet strong plot will keep you on your toes. As thrillers go, it really thrills. It is very unlikely that you will feel you've seen it all before. Actually you have, but the theme of money corrupting friendships and leading to violence and tragedy feels fresh or refreshed if you like here. Should you wish to view A Single Shot as cinema art, fine. It has all you can wish for, a gripping script for the brilliantly cast first rate actors to chew on, atmospheric cinematography, you name it. Overall the film has the feel of Scandinavian modern crime noir, and why not. It is set way out in distinctly northern woods. The feel is underlined by the music score, written by Icelandic composer Atli Örvarsson. It will give you the creeps. At times the strings get annoying, I guess on purpose, making tense spots even tenser. Down side of the Scandinavian influence is that the film gets too slow for it's own good at times, but luckily does not stay that way. Watching the film I was reminded of the 1990 film the Grifters, where a stash of money is also the cause of people turning on even their loved ones. The films couldn't be more different, but both present this classic film noir premise very well - no plot holes. Some reviewers have watched A Single Shot twice, and I guess I will be joining them.

David Arnold Hunter John Moon (Sam Rockwell) is out (illegally) hunting for deer when he mistakenly shoots a young woman. Obviously not being able to call the authorities and list it as a hunting accident, he hides her body in a nearby dumpster bin. He also finds a small case full of money and decides to keep it. Unfortunately, as time goes by, he realises that someone is tormenting him and sending clues that they know what he has done so what was supposed to have been a forgotten incident by Moon, turns into a cat & mouse chase for survival.A Single Shot is an EXTREMELY slow going movie which is such a pity because it doesn't take long for the main incident to happen. Once this happened I thought it would start to pick up but unfortunately it didn't. I mean I know there has to be character & story development but even that is slow to develop. If it's cat & mouse then it must be one hell of a slow cat because nothing of note really happens until about an hour in, and even then it still doesn't pick up.The story itself is a good one, but it was just played out so slowly without going anywhere. I usually don't mind slow going movies if I can get into them, but this one I couldn't get into at all and what didn't help in that regard was that I could hardly understand a single word being said, even when my volume was up high. I mean it's hard to understand a lot of the dialogue when the actors have their jaws clenched together and speak through their lips in a southern State accent. Add this together with nothing much happening and it was 2 hours of boredom. Such a shame because it has a very, very decent cast as well (Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Ted Levine, Jason Isaacs) but unfortunately even they couldn't do anything to make this film more interesting.A Single Shot should be given a single viewing and nothing more.

jhood-208-254513 I don't review movies but had to on this one. Excellent film. Performances, setting, pace, and mood all amazing. Jeffery Wright...played the role of Simon so well I didn't recognize him (I just accepted his sleazy, toxic character). He and Rockwell were phenomenal. Most viewers are not prepared for such a slow-paced film - it needed to be because of the subject matter. The director did well to expose the gritty, depressing life John lives. Incorporating the little bits of "visions" was just enough and yes the breathing and even closed/open eyes are just part of the creative aspects peppered through-out.See it and know it is a hard film to watch but so worth it.