Straw Dogs – Review – half-assed productions

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Straw Dogs is about a young couple, David (James Marsden) & Amy (Kate Bosworth) who move back to her small hometown in the deep south. David is a writer, wanting the peace and quiet of the country, and Amy is reconnecting with the townspeople. The town is excited to see Amy back, but not so excited about her married to a LA screenwriter. The people never seem to welcome David into their community. They think of him more as a coward than a man. But, basically he’s turning the other cheek instead of starting fights, unlike most of the townsfolk.

They hire some good-ol-boys to work on the roof of their barn. They take advantage by never working past noon and never getting the job done. They spend more time ogling his wife than doing actual work. Then they go to far. A misunderstanding and an accident leads David & Amy back to their house. Unfortunately, the roofers are outside their house with guns trying to get in by any means necessary. David defends his house in some of the most gruesome ways.

This movie is kind of a slow burn, which builds up the character profiles. You learn a lot about the people of the town. The 2nd act is where it really gets moving. It’s a lot better than I thought it would be. I enjoyed watching the little guy get the best out of the thugs. It’s a remake of a movie from the 70s that I’ve never seen. Nonetheless, this out-reached my expectations, and I recommend it. 3.5 out of 5