[1] I hadn’t read up on this story, because I wanted to watch the movie not knowing any details. I was pleasantly surprised. This movie was not what I was expecting. I went in thinking it would be a Pablo Escobar kinda movie, but it was not. 

[2] Although the story is meant to be light-hearted in most moments (due to the nature of this crazy story), there are quite a few dramatically effective scenes to go along with them, but it almost felt like the movie was getting a little too serious for the writers, so they had to take away from some of the emotion by adding jokes. 

Matthew McConaughey gives one of his best efforts in a while and a particular scene actually had me in tears. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, seeing as everyone expects him to bring a lot to the table nowadays. Newcomer Richie Merritt is the one to talk about, however. While his performance isn’t something that people will be talking about for decades to come, this was quite the impressive first impression. 

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

This is likely to be one of the MOST serious (and unflinchingly violent) films of 2018. I saw it at a free pre-screening w/ a Meetup earlier this week; it’s out this FRI. The gritty indie drama is based on a true story and filmed in Cleveland (which stands in for Detroit). In 1984, Ricky Wershe, Jr. (newcomer Richie Merritt) is a 15 y.o. H.S. dropout who helps his gun dealing father, Rick Sr. (Matthew McConaughey), hustle for a living. In the opener, they attend a gun show. The Wershes haven’t left Detroit (“a lion doesn’t leave the Serengeti”) b/c Rick thinks that they can still make something of themselves. Rick’s older sis, Dawn (British actress Bel Powley) is angry, rebellious, and (possibly) on drugs. The grandparents are played by veteran actors (Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie); their scenes are few, yet memorable. 

There is an epidemic of gun violence and crack cocaine in the area; local cops seem to turn a blind eye and the FBI has a presence. Two FBI agents- Snyder and Byrd (Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rory Cochrane) and local undercover cop, Det. Jackson (Brian Tyree Henry) have their eye on a young dealer, Johnny ‘Lil Man’ Curry (Jonathan Majors), who has connections in high places. Ricky knows Johnny, having done some business w/ him, so the FBI starts following him (to encourage him to assist them).