BLUE RUIN

US, 2013, 90 minutes, Colour.
Macon Blair, Devin Rattray, Amy Hargraves, Eve Plumb.
Directed by Jeffrey Saulnier.

Blue Ruin is an unexpectedly successful Gothic drama. It received quite some critical acclaim and was screened in the Director’s Fortnight at Cannes. Unfortunately, the small-budget did not lead to wide distribution, but it was seen in specialised circumstances.

The screenplay is able to lead the audience on, introducing the central character as wild and hairy, having a bath in the home of absent owners. He flees and the audience probably thinks the worst of him, scavenging in garbage for food, going to his old blue Pontiac car and living in it – but also seen reading. His name is Dwight.

When a policewoman comes to the car, we assume that he will be arrested. On the contrary, he seems to be well-known and is given information, with great sensitivity with the woman taking him to a police station, to tell him that his father and mother’s murderer is being released. We wonder what he will do.

He cuts his hair and shaves his beard, looking completely different from what he was at the beginning. He then goes and kills the ex-prisoner. This continues the feud between the family and Dwight and his family, his going to see his sister to make sure she was away from home while he waited for them to attack. In the attack, he takes one of the prisoner’s brothers and puts him in the boot his car, while he himself is wounded in the leg by an arrow – which leads to his buying equipment to sever the end of the arrow, but having to go hospital after he collapses from lack of blood.

He then continues his fight against the family because they are in pursuit. Dwight lists the help of an old school friend who gives him a gun, and saves his life when he is about to be killed. Then he has to confront the women of the family, one of them particularly vicious.

The film is well above average for this kind of drama, well written and performed, stylishly photographed and edited. Macon Blair, who appears in practically every scene, is quite persuasive as Dwight. Director, Jeffrey Saulnier, wrote, directed and photographed the film.


1. Critical acclaim? A Gothic backwoods genre film? Emphasis on character rather than horror and violence? The family feud? Vengeance? Ordinary people?

2. The title? Blue Ruins as gin cocktails? The old blue Pontiac, a ruin?

3. Small-budget, the director and his being writer, director of photography? The unknown cast?

4. The introduction to Dwight, in the house, in the bath, people coming, his running away, naked, getting dressed, scavenging for food, smelling it? Going to his car, the tent and the car, reading, sleeping? Going into the sea? His hair and beard, appearance?

5. The policewoman, coming to the car, the news about the release of the prisoner, her telling him in the police station, one-on-one so that he would not be disturbed? The mystery of the connection to the prisoner? Sending the card to his sister? His transformation, cutting his hair, shaving his beard, looking completely different?

6. The importance of his car, going to the prison, watching the release, the family welcoming the prisoner? Going to the bar, their celebration, going in, waiting in the toilet, his killing Will, the vicious stabbing, the blood spurting, on Dwight? His cutting his hand? slashing the tyre? the pursuit, taking the limousine? Discovering William in the back, letting him out, his running away?

7. The family not going to the police, keeping it in house, the nature of the feud?

8. After the killing, like travelling to see his sister, her reaction, the absence of years, the past history, the deaths of their parents, his having copy with her, confessing, hurrying back, the babysitter not answering the phone? Dwight getting his sister to leave with the children?

9. Dwight, hiding in the house, getting his sister away? Setting up the house, the darkness, the light, the water running?

10. The family group coming, the guns, the bow? Dwight being wounded in his leg? Shooting the brother? Putting him in the boot of the car? Driving? Buying equipment to remove the arrow, sawing it off? Going to the hospital, his recovery? Leaving? The stitches, his hobbling? Yet managing?

11. Seeking outt Ben, the discussions with his mother, her remembering the past? Finding Ben, at the club, his work there, their going home, discussions about the school annual, the photos? Reminiscing? Ben and the guns, the choice of the gun, the practice and Dwight not being a good shot?

12. Ben following Dwight, Dwight confronting the brother in the boot of the car, with his gun, missing him? The brother telling the truth, the fact that it was not the dead brother who had killed the parents, but the significance of the affair, the older man wanting to kill Dwight’s father because of the affair with his wife? The woman in the car by accident and dying? the reversal of roles, the brother with the gun, Ben shooting and killing him?

13. Ben giving Dwight a better gun? Dwight visiting the cemetery, his father’s grave? Waiting in the house, the women coming, William? Their taunts?

14. Telling the truth, vicious, the shootings? Dwight realising that William was his half brother? Letting William go?

15. The consequences of the murders, the feud, the continued violence and its consequences, the initial wrong leading to destruction and death? A sense of realism? Pessimism?