There are different kinds of crime families. There are the ones we’re more familiar with who live in big cities, dress to the nines, and influence everything from the police to the government. And then there are ones like the Frost family, hillbillies based in Arkansas who control the drug trade in parts of the Ozark Mountains. It’s this version of the crime family that’s at the center of Violent Ends, the latest film from writer/director John-Michael Powell (The Send Off), about Lucas Frost (Billy Magnussen), one of the few honest men brought up in this environment and fully aware of what his relatives do, though he still manages to keep his nose clean.
We find out early on that the Frost clan is divided into factions that are at the brink of war with each other most of the time, and I’ll fully admit that the film makes it tough sometimes to keep track of who’s who in the Frost family. But we know Lucas is happily engaged to Emma (Alexandra Shipp), his mother Darlene (Kate Burton) is part of local law enforcement, and he has a half-brother named Tuck (Nick Stahl), with whom he’s incredibly close.
But as if on cue, a personal tragedy befalls Lucas and he’s thrust headfirst into the bloody family business thanks to a reckless crime perpetrated by his younger cousin Eli (Jared Bankens), who is being protected by his recently out-of-jail brother Sid (a genuinely terrifying and stabby James Badge Dale). During the course of his journey toward revenge, Lucas is forced to confront a series of uncles (including drug kingpin Walt Frost played by the great Ray McKinnon), cousins, and other lowlifes, and the results are brutal, bloody, and not always what Lucas was hoping for, making things all the more dangerous for him and his faithful brother Tuck.
Violent Ends is part police procedural as Darlene searches the territory looking for Eli, and part straight-up tale of vengeance with the inexperienced Lucas getting a crash course in just how awful his family really is. The movie gives us a real sense of the place and its people, and the consequences of even standing too close to it all—the entire situation seems destined to draw in and destroy even the most innocent among the family members. It’s a solid movie that feels familiar but still manages to be engaging and authentic when it counts. As I said, it’s not always easy to keep track of all of the players, but the final product is a sometimes fascinating examination of legacy, and how sometimes, one can’t escape it.
The film is now playing in theaters.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting Third Coast Review’s arts and culture coverage by making a donation. Choose the amount that works best for you, and know it goes directly to support our writers and contributors.
