Blu-ray Review - Sweetwater

Sweetwater
Director: Logan Miller
Starring: Ed Harris, January Jones, Edurado Noriega, Jason Aldean
Studio: Arc Entertainment
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Retail: $24.99
ASIN: B00F3TD8XO
Running Time: 95 minutes
Rated: R

Review:
 
Arriving on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow, December 31, 2013, is the western-thriller Sweetwater, starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee January Jones (AMC's Mad Men) Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Ed Harris (Pollock, A History of Violence) and Jason Issac (Harry Potter film series). It is directed by Logan Miller (Touching Home). The film was an official selection at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

Set in the late 1800s, January Jones plays Sarah Ramírez, a former prostitute who is trying to have a normal life with her husband, Miguel, while living in a small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere (probably New Mexico, but I'm only guessing).

Miguel crosses the path of a crazed-so-called-religious man, whom calls himself the "Prophet Josiah", and his gun-hands, which one them is played by country singer Jason Aldean. Josiah basically wants all the land (or God's land as he calls it) in the area. After Miguel accuses him of a crime, Miguel is brutally murdered.

Another strange character comes into the mix when Sheriff Jackson (played by Ed Harris) arrives in town looking for two criminals and bunts heads heads with Josiah.

When Miguel never returns home, Sarah sets out to find him. After she discovers what has happened to him, she slips on a lavender dress, grabs a pistol and goes after Josiah and his men.

Westerns are a dying breed, unless it is a made-for-TV movie, but those are becoming rare too. I was never a fan of the John Wayne era of westerns, as they were too unreal for me. I'm more of a Clint Eastwood western fan, as all the grittiness and violence makes the films feel more realistic, which is exactly the category Sweetwater falls into. If it wasn't for the internet, I would have never known about this little film, which was featured at the Sundance Film Festival this year. I've never seen Mad Men before, but I was impressed with January Jones performance as a grieving widow out for revenge against the crazy Josiah, which was greatly played by Jason Issac, who I barely recognized. Ed Harris is the best part of the film as the odd, but noble sheriff. The plot may be a little thin, but you'll never notice it over all the shooting scenes. Overall, I thought Sweetwater was a decent, violent western.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.