Cut Bank

Taking a pedestrian stroll through Coen brothers territory, Matt Shakman's comedy-drama caper tries to replicate in the titular Montana town the same sort of dark, quirky, nefarious humor that so delighted audiences in Fargo, but ends up just wasting the talents of a fine cast. Cut Bank starts with the random murder of an elderly mailman (Bruce Dern) on an isolated rural road, a killing that is accidentally filmed from a nearby field by dour mechanic Dwayne (Liam Hemsworth). After conferring with his stern boss (Billy Bob Thornton)—who also happens to be his girlfriend's father—Dwayne turns the footage over to the laidback sheriff (John Malkovich) for investigation. Others caught up in the labyrinthine plot include a postal inspector (Oliver Platt) and a reclusive man (Michael Stuhlbarg) obsessed with locating a parcel that was lost in the victim's undelivered mail. While Cut Bank offers an opportunity to watch some solid veteran actors in action, the script affords very few surprises and even fewer laughs, ending with a weirdly unsatisfying twist. Not a necessary purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Matt Shakman and writer Roberto Patino, a “Bad Karma: Life in Cut Bank” behind-the-scenes featurette (19 min.), deleted scenes (4 min.), extended scenes (2 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)