"Stillwater" is an Emotionally Powerful Drama that Shines a Light on Global Perspectives

 

Matt Damon's latest film, Stillwater, tells the story of a father named Bill (Damon) - a bundle of red-state stereotypes - who travels from Oklahoma to France to help his estranged an incarcerated daughter Allison (Abigail Breslin). Allison is in prison for a murder she claims she didn't commit, and Bill is determined to help free her by getting to the bottom of things, even when the authorities seem to think there's no case. What I thought was going to be a unique and tense crime thriller turned out to be an emotional drama that I didn't see coming.

Stillwater has clear, distinct acts. The first act is very much a crime thriller, or at least feels that way. We see Bill hastily investigating flaccid leads; we learn about his relationship with Allison, get introduced to Victoria and Maya - friends that Bill makes along the way - and it would seem like a clear cut narrative. However, the second act is where you really get into the meat of the story; it morphs into this quiet drama and makes you realize that really, it's been a drama this whole time. I don't know if that sounds weird to you, but that's the best way I can describe my experience. Bill is a man hellbent on supporting and
helping his daughter; sometimes that takes time, and the movie seems fine with taking that time. He's also a man who has dealt with a lot of crap in his life, and when something good finally comes along, he'd be stupid not to take advantage of it, which the movie also explores. There's so much story in this movie, and it never lacks in the dramatic or emotional departments.

Matt Damon has a lot to do here, and the entire narrative is really just about Bill; it's almost more of a character study about who this man is, how he came to be who he is, and what he decides to do with his life when certain situations present themselves - rather than an exploration into what Bill does within the plot. In a nutshell, this is more character-driven than plot-driven, and I respect that. Bill is uneducated, hard-working, god-fearing, and deeply flawed. Damon is really great here, and manages to ride the emotional waves of this story without making Bill seem over-the-top or unrealistic. The choices Bill makes throughout the movie are clear, understandable, realistic, and at times heart-breaking. Damon loses himself in this role to the point where I could see this man, this character, for who he was, and I rooted for him the entire length of the film.

What this movie does that I thought was brilliant was that, as I said earlier, it makes you think it's one thing (a taught crime thriller), when actually it's something else (a slow-burning drama). I love when movies subvert my expectations. Writer/Director Tom McCarthy seems to be more interested in asking larger questions than about simply crafting entertaining plot points that get us from A to Z, questions about parenting, global social constructs, or simply "what would a man do for his child, when he suffers from a lifetime of failure?" Bill is a fish out of water, a stereotypical midwestern American thrust into the landscape of France; the outside perspective of an "American" is on display here. At one point, a character even asks Bill point-blank: "So, did you vote for Trump?" as a means to gauge what kind of American he actually is. Bill's perspective on life, parenting, failure, and destiny all clash within the foreign atmosphere he finds himself in, and it makes for really interesting storytelling.

Overall, the movie seemed to be shot well; there wasn't anything mind-blowing being done on a technical level, but I felt immersed in the world of the film regardless. The story is compelling, the acting and performances were all on point, and the structural tone of the narrative - though shifting - keeps you on the edge of your seat, even during those slower moments. That being said, the movie is long, and the middle is where you feel it, but overall I really enjoyed Stillwater, and it's definitely worth checking out.