A Single Shot

Despite the title, there are two decisive rifle shots in David M. Rosenthal's A Single Shot, but the mirroring of a destructive bullet with a redemptive round merely underscores the schematic quality of this slow-moving piece of noir-ish backwoods pulp. Venturing out from his trailer looking for deer, shaggy poacher John Moon (Sam Rockwell) fires into the rustling brush, killing a girl. Searching her belongings, John finds a pile of cash. He conceals the corpse and appropriates the money, hoping to use it to win back his estranged wife, who left along with their young son. Naturally, that plan goes awry almost immediately and Moon soon finds himself in the crosshairs of the dead girl's nasty partners: Obadiah (Joe Anderson), an ex-con sporting tattoos and a mean attitude, and his even more menacing colleague, Waylon (Jason Isaacs). Also on hand are Jeffrey Wright as John's booze-ridden old friend (a man with a secret) and Ophelia Lovibond as a sweet neighbor who serves as a damsel-in-distress. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a "making-of" featurette (27 min.), interviews with costars Sam Rockwell (24 min.) and William H. Macy (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a so-so film.] (F. Swietek)