Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This gem of an indie is worth it for the fantastically vibrant cinematography alone. It was shot on location in Park County, Colorado (the real South Park) and offers a slice of rugged mountain life that still exists in all its beauty, hardship, and yes, tragedy. The film draws you in with its down home appeal of a young man rebuilding his life after a stint in prison, and his father who, mending his own fences, heroically tries to help his son. Soon the young mans troubles snowball, and the film that so easily charmed the viewer charts an unchangeable course for personal disaster. The suspense is genuine, and the ending is shocking and tragic in a wonderfully Shakespearean way. Among the themes richly woven into this tale are tragic fate, family obligations, and social justice. The story may seem a bit melodramatic, but it is a matter of style that hearkens back to the origins of the original westerns, and melodrama itself. Plus, you'd really be surprised to find how many families out there have similar stories to this one--and some even more shocking. If you are looking for a sugary sweet Hollywood ending here, move on. But keep in mind that Hollywood would never have the courage to make this film with this ending, which is what makes independent film so refreshing. And if you think the ending is overly harsh... ... you need to re-read your Shakespeare! The production values are low, but the themes and story telling rich, rewarding, and haunting... And again, the cinematography is beautiful!

I really enjoyed this film! The cinematography is beautiful... great locations and directing. I hadn't heard of Troy McGatlin before but I would like to see more of his work. The lead character in the film did an amazing job. What a great actor! The location of this film (Maybe Colorado or Montana) is also an important character. I would call the location a character because it plays such an important role to who these people are and why they act the way they do. You really feel like you're there with the characters. Interesting storyline and overall really well done! A lot more to it than originally meets the eye. This film is about father/son relationships, life in a small town, moving on from our past and mending our own "broken fences." I would definitely recommend this film to anyone.

This film is a beautifully shot and acted drama. Set in the Colorado mountains, it is a powerful piece with exceptional acting by Jan Van Sickle. The story grabs you from the beginning to it's shocking conclusion. Breathtaking cinematography. Highly recommended! The story involved a rancher named Joe who let's his recently paroled son, Dillon, moved back in with him. Dillon seems to have turned his life around, which is good news to his dad who has just started a relationship with the local convenience store owner, Kim (excellently played by Earla Stewart). As the story unfolds, we learn that Dillon's bad luck seems to have followed him home. Dillon is played by Ryan J. Parker in a star making turn. Mr. Parker displays moments of sheer brilliance as his character faces unbearable choices. The film is currently making it's rounds in the film festival circuit, winning multiple awards along the way. Try to see it!

A lifetime of bad luck threatens a father and son's reunion, as old wounds resurface and new ones are opened in Broken Fences, Troy McGatlin's fusion of family drama and contemporary western.Joe Simmons (Jan Van Sickle) is a quiet and simple man who prefers to spend his days alone working on his ranch. He gets up at 5:00 a.m. and makes sure that the horses, cattle, and chickens are fed before he sits down to eat. Joe lives this life of solitude by choice, but we get a hint early on that Joe has cut himself off from the world a little too much. When he goes to the town's only store, he's surprised to find his friend no longer owns the place – and hasn't for quite some time. Joe might be a little bit lonely, but he's found his routine and he likes it just fine.But Joe's life of peace is unexpectedly disrupted when he gets a phone call from his estranged son Dylan, who informs him that he was recently paroled from jail and is looking for a place to stay. Though it's only hinted at, it's clear that Joe and Dylan have a long tumultuous history, and Joe is originally unwilling to take him in, even temporarily. But Joe's won't let his boy live on the streets, and he soon finds himself outside the jail, collecting his son.Dylan promises his father that he's a changed man, and it's easy to believe him. He speaks softly, works hard, and the only time he gets a fiery look in his eye is when he fervently tells his father that he'll never go back to prison again. Dylan has a host of skeletons in his closet, but maybe undeservedly so. He's a simple-minded boy who seems to be followed by a host of bad luck. A traumatizing incident in Dylan's teenage years left him emotionally scarred and in the company of a few bad seeds. Dylan was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it ended up costing him 6 years of his life behind bars.Even though Dylan promises he's turned a new leaf, things are uneasy between the two from the very beginning. They eat in silence, work in silence, and spend time on opposite ends of the ranch. But Joe senses a change in Dylan that he can't deny – maybe his son really has turned his life around. In their first candid moment, Dylan convinces Joe to ask a local shopkeeper out on a date. Things between the two men seem to be getting better, until Dylan's streak of bad luck and bad behavior catches up to him. From there, the story unfolds in unexpected directions until the shocking third act that you won't see coming.Broken Fences carefully explores this relationship between father and son without resorting to clichés. It never asks the audience an obvious question, only to respond with an even more obvious answer. McGatlin has crafted a fine little film that will engage you and challenge you until the end. And what an end it is.