Good movie but grossly overrated

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

I stumbled blindly onto this on Netflix, saw it had Tommy Lee Jones in it and figured I enjoy just about anything he touches. Low and behold, I was delightful impressed by this.This tragic story about a detective investigating a murder is just pure intensity. But it's not action film intensity, it's the intensity of the pursuit of justice. So much unfortunate murders, innocents forced and the power brokers not caring about anyone else but themselves and their own fortune. There are only a few shows I've watched where I felt like I could feel what it's like to be in the part of the country where it was filmed, and this is without a doubt one of them. The deep, dark, sultry bowels of Louisiana. Stunning landscapes, intense humidity, mosquito's almost as big as the ones in Northern Minnesota, just breathtaking location filming. Moody without being over-dramatic, enriching and intricate plot and story.This may have been an accidental find, but I'm sure glad I stumbled onto it. Wonderful movie, highly recommended.

Atmospheric is probably the best summation of this movie. There is a recognizable sense of southern atmosphere - dark and brooding, that permeates constantly throughout the story. This is also the best thing about the movie. The story line itself comes across as disconnected and disjointed. Whether this is intended or not; it doesn't work. I always felt like it was missing something. Developments seemed to happen without explanation. It almost feels watching it now that it was approaching something as weighty and hard hitting as the dark quality of True Detective's first season in moments - but it just never got there. I enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones but thought that his character should have been consistently harder and darker. John Goodman was shaping up to be quite enjoyable as a mob boss but he never got enough quality screen time or character development. Both their performances deserved better. I did enjoy the movie as a whole - I just felt a little disappointed afterwards because I feel that it could have been something great but too many moments of inconsequential sub plots cluttered and devalued it's brooding atmosphere. Also the music score was really ill fitting and I rarely ever comment on that.

I liked this movie overall, but it comes off as a well-made TV or cable production instead of a major motion picture. It's kind of nebulous, but it seems to be something about the production values that I can't quite put a finger on, but it just doesn't seem quite worthy of the big screen. I'm sure the book was better, but I really don't read any fiction anymore--I just watch filmed adaptations and listen to the complaints about how much better the book was. The trivial supernatural element was pretty lame and unnecessary (maybe worked better in the book), but the plot was solid and was driven by character and not action, which I generally prefer. As usual and expected, Tommy Lee Jones and the other well- established actors delivered decent performances. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a slower, more low-key thriller/mystery without a lot of in-your-face violence and gore that is so typical nowadays.

The major problem was the script, which was all over the place. Maybe editing would have helped, but I don't think that skillful editing would fix a fundamental script problem. What was the point? Which plot was the main plot? There were so many things going on: a 1965 racial murder, a current murder of a prostitute, alcoholics, and a film being made about the Civil War. I think that there was one character who was involved in both murders, and I finally realized that Peter Sarsgaard was playing Gen. Hood in the film being made.If this was supposed to be a mystery, there were too many distractions along the way as clues were being dispensed.The character of "the real" Gen. Hood and his interaction with Dave was awkward and sometimes confusing (i.e., the church scene).I think all of the "major" cast members did a fine job, though most were underutilized. Mary Steenburgen was way too good for the very little she was given to do. Ditto Ned Beatty. John Goodman was great at slimy menace, but his involvement in the plot was almost unnecessary.I believe that many of the local cast members could have been much, much better had they been told exactly what information they were supposed to be saying, and then be allowed to improvise. Perhaps this is a failure of direction rather than writing. In the film, too many characters sounded like they were reciting. It's true that they were not skilled actors, but local amateurs don't need to sound artificial, c.f., Beasts of the Southern Wild.Here are a few personal notes. The film was released in 2009, and I was not aware of it until today. I was born and raised in New Iberia, where the film is set (and where it was filmed), and the rest of my life has been spent in New Orleans. This film is probably the most extensive and best cinematic use of locations in Cajun Country. I could not pick out any scene which appeared to have been filmed on a sound stage. The film seems like a missed opportunity. I don't think the film had any significant pre-video release in the United States, and unfortunately, I can see why.