Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Absolutely Fantastic

A Disappointing Continuation

A Brilliant Conflict

This is almost an exhibit in acting. Peter Stormare is as great in this as the bit players. There is no weakness to be found in the acting department. The short running time is good too, the music is well selected and the script is as tight as it should be. I personally do not agree as much with Coen comparisons, because this is far more serious than a Fargo.It's important to know, because people will think of Fargo and not of Millers Crossing or other serious themed movies the Coen brothers did. Most of the people that is. All in all it wouldn't do justice to the filmmaker just comparing him to someone else. He did something really amazing here, mixing photography and sound to make a movie about human downfall(s).

Recommended for watchers that appreciate the fine enactment of a well-crafted screenplay. Direction also very good. All the actors had their moments, and some were indeed memorable: I shall always remember the look between Rita and Steve at the end when Steve is in the back of the police vehicle. Let's just say brilliant acting, direction, and camera-work must culminate to capture something that good. Of course, one will need to watch what comes before to reach that point. The pace of the movie is deliberate, and dialog is often exchanged haltingly, especially from our main man, Walter (Peter Stormare depicts him from the inside out -- excellent all the way through; also loved the lingering accent, which fits Walter perfectly). Music and biblical quotes were a bit jangling, I must agree, as many other reviewers have noted. The quotes were more of a problem than the music for me, because I have a problem with quotes in general. As a viewer, I don't need to be told what a section of movie is going to be about. That's a bit of an insult, in fact. Anyway, take the quotes out and the movie would have been just as watchable from my perspective. Music -- OK, it adds atmosphere, though again I probably would have enjoyed the movie just as much without it. Reminiscent of another Mennonite-centric film I saw directed by Carlos Reygadas in Mexico, Silent Night, though that was brilliant in a very different way.To recap, here, "Small Town Murder Songs" is a title that describes the movie literally; the acting, screenplay, and direction make this a watchable film, especially for the contemplative viewer.

Set in colorless, out-in-the-boonies Ontario, Canada, "Small Town Murder Songs" effectively captures small town life... with a murderer on the loose.Sliced into segments punctuated by biblical quotes, this melancholy tale follows the creepy Police Chief, a Mennonite, as he tracks the killer in an inbred and insular podunk community.Peter Stormare shines as a Police Chief who's a hand grenade with the pin pulled. Seems the Chief's former girlfriend is now shacking up with the main suspect. Also seems the Chief kicked the crap out of someone not too long ago."Small Town Murder Songs" obliquely suggests "Witness." Here the religious spine is irrelevant. This is a most basic redemption story; one that's many times been told. The spiritual slant does little to liberate the common plot. The extraordinary, effective soundtrack emphasizing the title does. The deliberate, bucolic pace and beautifully framed landscapes also add much. Unfortunately, it's not enough. Be prepared to feel like you're listening to a discordant orchestra trying to follow a fumbling maestro's baton.This certainly is not a must see film. It's a slightly odd take on a story you've seen a million times. Watch it, if you must, for Stormare, the soundtrack. For something different. Afterward don't run to me crying, "It wasn't that good."

In spite of some superficial similarities, "Small Town Murder Songs" is not "Fargo" set across the border in Canada, eh, and that might disappoint some American viewers(ya, you betcha).STMS it strives to be a bit more believable, but it's definitely not as thrilling as, say, "Frozen River", which is set on a Native American reservation on the U.S.-Canada border.At 75 minutes, STMS is much shorter than the standard 100-110-minute theatre film. The film is concise and doesn't waste any time or space and it didn't need to be much longer. Still, it would have helped tremendously if director Gass-Donnelly had added five or 10 minutes to explore the influence of Walter's Mennonite upbringing on his pathos. I think a lot of viewers will be confused by this aspect of the film, I know my wife was.I was also dissatisfied with not knowing more about the victim, but maybe that's because in a U.S. film the audience is often spoon-fed and because unlike real life, the relationship between the victim and her killer is not well known (This was not an episode of "Dateline" or "48 Hours Mystery"). STMS is definitely understated and leaves out some things that many U.S. viewers have come to expect. In a word, it's a Canadian film and it doesn't play to the expectations of U.S. viewers.Still, really the only aspect of the film that left me dissatisfied was Walter's ex. While it is completely believable that she leave Walter (he's a messed up dude and it's clear he really shouldn't be a cop anymore), her choice of a new beau is just not believable, even it adds a lot of tension to the plot.