Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- sardonic
- bleak
- tense
- dark movie night
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the veteran ensemble effective but judged the thriller derivative, predictable, and burdened by a dull crime-noir formula.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dwayne's attempt to escape Cut Bank through the filmed murder triggers increasingly dangerous consequences and further killings.
Critics specifically describe the film as a self-consciously comedic violent noir, and its crime chain is filtered through darkly offbeat characterization.
The story uses Cut Bank, Montana, as an isolated hometown where Dwayne's escape plan and the sheriff's investigation expose hidden violence.
Dwayne seeks a better life in a bigger city with Cassandra, but witnessing the murder binds him to a worsening criminal situation.
Films like Cut Bank, and why
Fargo
shared self-consciously comic violent noir, small-town criminal schemes, and escalating bad luck
Blood Simple
shared Coen-influenced crime plotting, dark humor, murder investigation, and ordinary people overwhelmed by violence
A Simple Plan
shared rural noir atmosphere, fatalistic crime chain reactions, and morally compromised characters
The Ice Harvest
shared offbeat violent thriller tone, mistaken opportunities, and an ensemble of desperate characters
Movie Details
- Director
- Matt Shakman
- Release Date
- 2014-10-04
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (370)
Cast
- Liam Hemsworth
- Teresa Palmer
- John Malkovich
- Bruce Dern
- Billy Bob Thornton
- Michael Stuhlbarg
- Oliver Platt
- Ty Olsson
- Peyton Kennedy
- Marie Zydek
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Cut Bank about?
- A restless young Montana man’s chance to escape through a filmed murder instead locks him into a spiraling, darkly comic noir of greed, suspicion, and violence.
- What is Cut Bank like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cut Bank as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Cut Bank violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Cut Bank as brutal.
- What did critics think of Cut Bank?
- Critics generally found the veteran ensemble effective but judged the thriller derivative, predictable, and burdened by a dull crime-noir formula.
- Which films are like Cut Bank?
- Films with a similar feel include Fargo, Blood Simple, A Simple Plan, and The Ice Harvest.
- How long is Cut Bank?
- Cut Bank runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Cut Bank?
- In United States, Cut Bank is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling.
