Martin Bradley Jeff Nichols' debut film "Shotgun Stories" marked him out as a major talent, something than has been more than realized in the ten years since it was made. It's a great piece of back-roads Americana, thinly plotted but brilliantly observed and superbly acted by a largely unknown cast, (only a young Michael Shannon is familiar to me), as well as being beautifully photographed by Adam Stone in a style reminiscent of early Malick and the early films of one of its producers, David Gordon Greene.It's set in rural Arkansas and deals with a family feud between two sets of half-brothers. The pace is leisurely and there's little in the way of action despite the promise of the title. When violence does finally erupt it is shocking, if not unexpected, and largely happens off-screen. It remains one of the best American Indies of the last 10 years.

Dillon Schohr Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols, "Shotgun Stories" tells a tale of Son Hayes (Michael Shannon), who has raised his two younger brothers Boy (Douglas Ligon), and Kid (Barlow Jacobs). Their mother, for her own selfish reason left the boys when their father abandoned the whole family, to start a new life with another women in the same town. Now that the father has passed, Son decides to exchange some hateful words at his funeral, and their father's other sons don't take to kind to it. This starts the family feud of a lifetime. Michael Shannon has to be one of my favorite actors to grace us with his presence in film in this decade. He is one of the most pleasing actors to watch, his subtle way of showing us his pain, and anger rest all in his eye, and jaw movement. It works perfectly. Douglas Ligon and Barlow Jacobs were excellent as the two younger brothers. Ligon's character Boy, lives in his filthy van by choice, and Kid lives in a tent in Son's backyard. When Son's wife leaves him, he lets the two brothers move into his place. Ligon and Jacobs stood their ground next Shannon. Especially Ligon, who has some great heart-felt scenes.This is Jeff Nichols first film, and it could not have been better. Well maybe I could have seen the ending going a little further but that is nothing to really complain about. The writing was superb, and Nichols made the film flow very smoothly. I give Shotgun Stories a 9.5 out 10.P.S.Jeff Nichols next film is called "Take Shelter", and is also stars Michael Shannon. It's about a father who starts having visions of an apocalypse that is about to happen. It looks incredible. Look it up.

propanejoe2003 This guy , Woodward must have watched this movie in some drunken stupor. There is no Sewage pouring into any river. Its the catfish farm circulating pump. His blatant anti gun attitude seems to be more of a jealous streak that his country hasn't that freedom . There are no gun shots in the movie, no knives,and no lily pads rotting. What a rube. He has no conception of Americana nor human nature. The movie asks you to really put yourself into the shoes of people in a non-dramatic life which most people live with something in the past of the main character that we can only speculate as does several minor characters during the film. What a sleeper this film is and I am glad to see some of the actors continuing to work in cinema.

kdavidbushnell what a refreshing movie... with all the hype and 92% BS that is produced by Hollywood now-a- days. Not to mention many of the independent movies now-a-days with such bland plots and Hollywood appeal in them. What A Refreshing Flick. The plot is simple yet wonderfully original and thoughtful. The plot alone evoked emotion from me. Don't expect too from the plot much besides genius simplicity and creation for heart felt tension and characters. One of the best scenes in current cinema (I believe) occurs early in the film, you'll know when you see it, its like an early climax. The actors are just fine and the characters are heart felt after you get over their white trash appeal. The plot was just so genius that it made for such an intrigue for what could and will happen with the two families. The dialogue like the plot, its simple but o-so dam good. The ending left me with tons of thought about a unique drama, in sh*t area America.