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Blood for Dust

Play trailer 2:05 Poster for Blood for Dust R 2024 1h 38m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
78% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Reckless Ricky (Kit Harington) makes serious money dealing illegal weapons throughout the tri-state area and loves to flaunt it. Traveling salesman Cliff (Scoot McNairy), covers the same territory Ricky runs guns through. Desperate to find some financial relief for his struggling family, Cliff agrees to partner with Ricky, to commit cross-state drug and gun deliveries for a mid-level American cartel boss John (Josh Lucas). When a simple exchange turns into a bloodbath after Ricky kills everyone in a territory grab, the pair find themselves in a pressure cooker situation where unlikely drug dealer Cliff must fight as hard as he can to stay alive.
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Blood for Dust

Blood for Dust

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Critics Consensus

A grim throwback with a terrific cast, Blood for Dust is a spare and familiar story told with sturdy execution.

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Critics Reviews

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Phil Hoad Guardian Jan 6
3/5
Blackhurst doesn’t succeed in closing out his state of the nation diagnosis in a form any more substantial than old-school gunplay. But there are intuitive flashes of a cynical worldview in his crisp image-making. Go to Full Review
Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News 05/02/2024
3.5/4
“Blood for Dust” never makes one false move as it leads its characters into temptation and then hell. Go to Full Review
Matt Zoller Seitz RogerEbert.com 04/19/2024
3.5/4
[W]hatever its shortcomings, including too much solemnity and not enough jokes, there's no denying that the film creates a powerful mood and sustains it. Go to Full Review
Steve Morrissey Radio Times Jan 14
3/5
While its elements are highly familiar, Blood for Dust looks and sounds great, and it has an immediacy, darkness and pitilessness that is all its own. Go to Full Review
Abe Friedtanzer Cinema Daily US 07/24/2024
B-
The setup is promising but the end product doesn’t fully deliver, offering a sobering, often gruesome tale of bad decisions from impossible choices and the consequences that inevitably follow. Go to Full Review
Ankit Ojha Cinema Elite 07/09/2024
3/5
Blackhurst’s gritty and grounded storytelling in “Blood for Dust” breathes new life into the plot device, and—with the brilliantly-acted contentious chemistry betwen McNairy and Harrington—succeeds perfectly. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Aldis H Dec 10 75% gunfight, 15% "story," and 10%, I don't know, trying to make it mean something when it doesn't much. See more Andrew L @Andyandali1 Jul 15 A lot of style over substance. Doesn’t quite reach the level. For instance, the final scene showing the photocopy of the drivers license, wasn’t a surprise. A little too moody, and not quite clever enough. A decent watch nonetheless See more Jan 21 This was a good thriller with a few surprises...Especially since the.main character was a sales man lol....but the story was not good..the Picture quality was good (NOT Dohdoh Certified 💥 See more Hadi K @FadeToBlackX Jan 1 "Blood for Dust," directed by Rod Blackhurst, stars Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington, and Josh Lucas in a gritty neo-noir thriller that delves into the dark underbelly of America’s economic despair. The story follows Cliff (McNairy), a struggling salesman, who gets entangled in a dangerous partnership with Ricky (Harington), a charismatic but morally ambiguous figure involved in illicit trade. As the stakes escalate, Cliff is forced to confront his own desperation and moral boundaries. The film explores themes of survival, greed, and the cost of ambition without succumbing to overt melodrama. The performances are the film's strongest asset. Scoot McNairy delivers a nuanced portrayal of a man teetering on the edge of collapse, capturing both vulnerability and quiet resilience. Kit Harington surprises with his menacing charm as Ricky, balancing charisma with unpredictability. Josh Lucas, though underutilized, adds gravitas as a shadowy figure pulling the strings. However, some supporting characters feel one-dimensional, serving more as plot devices than fully realized individuals. Blackhurst’s direction is confident, crafting an atmosphere of tension and unease throughout. The screenplay, co-written by David Ebeltoft, effectively builds suspense but occasionally falters with uneven pacing. While the first act hooks the audience with its grounded setup, the middle section meanders before regaining momentum in the gripping final act. The dialogue walks a fine line between sharp and overly expository, occasionally leaning too heavily on clichés. Cinematography by David Bolen is striking, capturing desolate landscapes that mirror the characters’ internal struggles. The use of muted tones and shadowy lighting enhances the film’s bleak tone while adding visual depth. Editing by Ed Yonaitis is mostly seamless, though some transitions feel abrupt, disrupting the narrative flow. The score by Ariel Marx complements the film’s mood but lacks memorable motifs to elevate key moments. Thematically, "Blood for Dust" examines how financial desperation can erode morality and humanity. It draws parallels to films like "Hell or High Water," though it lacks the same emotional resonance and character depth. Blackhurst’s approach is more subdued, favoring slow-burn tension over explosive drama. While this restraint works in some instances, it occasionally leaves the film feeling emotionally distant. Compared to Blackhurst’s previous work on "Here Alone," this film shows growth in visual storytelling but struggles with similar pacing issues. The narrative ambition is commendable, but it doesn’t always land with the intended impact. The moral dilemmas presented are intriguing but could have been explored more thoroughly to leave a lasting impression. "Blood for Dust" is a solid yet flawed thriller that succeeds in atmosphere and performances but falters in pacing and emotional engagement. It will likely appeal to fans of slow-burn crime dramas but may leave casual viewers wanting more depth or excitement. While not groundbreaking, it’s a commendable effort that showcases Blackhurst’s potential as a filmmaker. See more Daniel B @observor 12/14/2024 Pretty standard but well executed. See more Troy V 12/11/2024 Great effin Fargo like movie!! A pleasure See more Read all reviews
Blood for Dust

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Movie Info

Synopsis Reckless Ricky (Kit Harington) makes serious money dealing illegal weapons throughout the tri-state area and loves to flaunt it. Traveling salesman Cliff (Scoot McNairy), covers the same territory Ricky runs guns through. Desperate to find some financial relief for his struggling family, Cliff agrees to partner with Ricky, to commit cross-state drug and gun deliveries for a mid-level American cartel boss John (Josh Lucas). When a simple exchange turns into a bloodbath after Ricky kills everyone in a territory grab, the pair find themselves in a pressure cooker situation where unlikely drug dealer Cliff must fight as hard as he can to stay alive.
Director
Rod Blackhurst
Producer
Noah Lang, Mark Fasano, Nathan Klingher, Bobby Campbell, Arun Kumar, Ari Novak, Bernard Kira
Screenwriter
David Ebeltoft
Distributor
The Avenue
Production Co
JaiD7 Pictures, Good Wizard, Gramercy Park Media, Nickel City Pictures, Boxo Productions, BondIt Media Capital, Witchcraft Motion Picture Company , Studio 507
Rating
R (Language|Drug Use|Some Sexual Material/Nudity|Suicide|Violence)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 19, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 19, 2024
Runtime
1h 38m
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