DEAD MAN'S WIRE
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Al Pacino, Cary Elwes, and Colman Domingo
Director: Gus Van Sant
AMARÚ
Between Bill Skarsgård’s commitment, Danny Elfman’s soulful 1970s score, and director Gus Van Sant’s splicing of real-life audio-video footage, Dead Man’s Wire is Van Sant’s version of a Spike Lee Joint. It’s tonally and structurally reminiscent of some of Spike’s most socially prescient films, with surprisingly dark humor and a heavy anti-capitalist sentiment that creates a calmer-than-expected vibe; one that this atmospheric period thriller can attribute primarily to Skarsgård’s perfectly deranged performance. While there are some anti-climactic moments and pacing dips due to its dedication to noir elements, Skarsgård’s single-mindedness brings your full attention back to his charisma and to this thrilling film.
QUENTIN
Between the pitch-perfect 70s pastiche, excellent soundtrack, surprising sense of humor, and perhaps Bill Skarsgård’s best prosthetic-free performance yet, Dead Man’s Wire is a simple tonal shift from being amongst the best crime thrillers I’ve seen this decade. However, for whatever reason, it lacks the requisite suspenseful thrills. Gus Van Sant, directing his first movie since 2018, keeps it all a little too matter of fact. I suppose it was an attempt to not sensationalize the true events, but that results in a film that hews too closely to a dramatic documentary reenactment. Still, I generally enjoyed it, but it could have been so much better.
KATIE
Dead Man’s Wire sounded like a compelling and exciting story, but it unfortunately just didn’t work for me. Colman Domingo’s presence elevates the film, Dacre Montgomery is great, and I really enjoyed Bill Skarsgård’s jittery and intense performance with flashes of unnerving humour; however, the editing and stylistic choices took me out of it, exacerbated by the soundtrack that featured great songs used to a confusing effect. I hate to say it, but it lacks any sense of tension, suspense, or impact. I didn’t care much about the outcome, either, and I found it dragged, especially towards the end.
ROBERT
Despite the aesthetic and the performances, there seems to be something missing from Dead Man’s Wire to have it coalesce properly enough to reach real prestige. It could be the constant back-and-forth between 1970s stylistic television camera footage and the true visual storytelling of the film; or that everything happening outside of Tony Kiritsis’ (Bill Skarsgård) apartment wasn’t compelling enough to fill the gaps. Still, kudos to Skarsgård and composer Danny Elfman for stepping outside their comfort zones to bring some grounded realism to director Gus Van Sant’s efforts, and the humor and tension kept me moderately engaged. Expectations weren’t quite reached, though.
