Old Henry

Directed by Potsy Ponciroli, Old Henry follows Tim Blake Nelson’s title character as he and his son (Gavin Lewis’ Wyatt) are menaced by Stephen Dorff’s sinister Ketchum. Filmmaker Ponciroli, armed with his own screenplay, offers up a deliberately-paced yet increasingly engrossing western that benefits from John Matysiak’s stirring visuals and several above-average performances, as, in terms of the latter, Nelson delivers an incredibly compelling (and thoroughly convincing) turn that effectively anchors the proceedings from start to finish – with the actor’s lived-in work certainly echoed in the top-notch efforts of his various costars. (Dorff’s scene-stealing appearance as the picture’s smug, evil villain remains a highlight, to be sure.) And while the movie’s first half is quite engaging in its own right, Old Henry, once it passes a certain point, becomes a fairly (and surprisingly) enthralling endeavor that builds towards a completely satisfying (and entirely electrifying) closing stretch – which does, in the end, confirm the film’s place as a superb sleeper.

***1/2 out of ****