After making a notable splash with his beloved indie darling The Vast of Night, writer/director Andrew Patterson is finally back with his sophomore feature The Rivals of Amziah King, a perfectly cooked, honey-glazed crime tale that serves up comfort food for the soul. The Rivals of Amziah King centers on a beekeeper and staple of a small, southern town named Amziah (Matthew McConaughey) who reconnects with his foster daughter Kateri (Angela LookingGlass), making up for lost time and showing her the tools of his beekeeping honey trade. However, their reunion quickly takes a dark turn when Amziah’s bees are stolen from his property, sending his business into freefall. Though Patterson has certainly taken ample time to deliver his follow-up, it proves to be more than worth the wait.
Top to bottom, Patterson has put together an incredible roster of talent for his second feature. The role of Amziah feels tailor-made for McConaughey’s sensibilities, making terrific use of his boundless charisma, warmth and gravitas. This not only feels like a character only he could fill the shoes of, but it proves to be perhaps the best performance of his career. He imbues Amziah with such a palpable magnetism and deep fried southern charm that the character is impossible not to love, making it abundantly clear why he has become such a beloved anchor for his modest town. Equally impressive is LookingGlass, making her feature film debut, effortlessly holding her own in scenes with McConaughey and Kurt Russell, shaping Kateri into a fully three-dimensional character worth becoming emotionally invested in especially as she proceeds to take centerstage. Her scenes with the former not only shine bright, but are by far and away the ones brimming with the most warmth and infectious energy.
Russell also fairs very well as the villain of this southern crime drama as a highly successful, but reviled businessman tycoon. Though he doesn’t have the meatiest role, his shadow looms large over the story before becoming a significant part of it, making the most of his limited screen time, weaponizing his devilish smile and gruff charm to make this antagonist one that the audience will love to hate. The remainder of the supporting performances are also strong, Scott Shepard delivering plenty of laughs as a nearly incomprehensible, but endearing right hand man of Amaziah’s while Cole Sprouse brings a breezy propulsion to the narrative. Safe to say, there isn’t a weak link in this fantastic cast.
However, it’s Patterson’s script and visual storytelling that help this film stand out from the litany in its genre. From the opening scene alone, the audience is able to feel that they’re in safe, assured hands, Patterson’s confidence and firm handle on tone instantly grabbing hold. The filmmaking here is sumptuous, from the lighting and cinematography from DP M.I. Litten-Menz to Patterson’s deft hand behind the wheel steering the pickup truck, the world building is incredibly immersive, allowing the audience to feel as if they’re deeply entrenched in the world Patterson has so meticulously and thoughtfully created. The director’s personal connection to the story bleeds through in every frame and every line of dialogue, allowing this close-knit community to feel wonderfully realized and lived-in.
The script here is also delightfully surprising, exchanges between characters providing plenty of laughs, warmth and genuine shock as the story transitions from a feel-good southern tale to a pulpy revenge thriller. Music also plays a substantial role in the overall atmosphere of the film and it’s implemented exceedingly well throughout. One scene in particular in which Kateri is reluctantly reeled into a jamming session with Amziah and his closest friends is not only a perfect example of this, but proves to be one of the most emotionally affecting sequences in a film all year thus far that is impossible to resist.
The energy and momentum of the film is also terrific. Editor Patrick J. Smith does a tremendously good job keeping the story moving and the pacing tight despite the film’s beefy two hour plus runtime. From the opening frame, Smith’s editing gives the film a rhythm that keeps it light on its feet even when he sporadically experiments a little with some dashes of panache and style. However, there are moments, though few and far between, where his artistic choices feel as if they’re drawing too much attention to themselves and are a bit overdone, such as freeze frames and transitions to slow motion that feel more like gimmicky artistic experimentations than thoughtful additions to the storytelling. Fortunately, these stylistic choices don’t derail or take away from the overall power of the film.
The only other notable shortcoming of the film is the slightly bumpy transition from its first half to the second, where it evolves into a darker revenge tale. While both parts of the film are equally compelling, the tonal transition from one to the other isn’t handled as seamlessly as it could’ve been, causing the audience to have to acclimate to a newly established atmosphere. Thankfully, it never feels as if there are two films trying to be molded into one, but rather one film that needed finer stitching in the editing room.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
The Rivals of Amziah King is easily one of the best films of the year so far, weaving a southern drenched crime story that is as heartwarming as it is exhilarating. The two central performances coupled with Patterson’s personal and singular storytelling make the film one of the most enveloping and affecting theatrical experiences of the summer. This is a film that encourages the audience to find their own hive, the people that will add to their lives rather than subtract from it, that will ultimately give it meaning. That kind of message in this day and age? Well, that’s alright, alright, alright.
Grade: 4.5/5 Stars
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