Blue Ruin: Hesitant Revenge

 

Blue Ruin: Hesitant Revenge

Revenge stories typically follow similar patterns: A character is wronged and so, in order to set things right in the world, they go after the people who have destroyed their lives in order to set the world right. One of the more popularized franchises involving this as of now is John Wick, a film series in which Keanu Reeves’ titular character shoots his way through hordes of goons after they steal the only happiness he has left in the world. Films like this showcase the character taking up the mantle of vengeance as almost graceful killing machines, quick-witted and well-trained enough to think on their feet while expertly defeating their foes. That spark of satisfaction resonates with the viewer as the watch the seasoned hero take down villain after villain on their quest for a better tomorrow. To some degree, films like these rely on everyman tropes in order to put their viewers in the shoes of the protagonist, feeding into their exhilaration as they watch the film. That’s what makes this type of media exciting and why we’ve seen such tales since as far back as 1844 when Alexandre Dumas first published The Count of Monte Cristo, another classic revenge tale (though there is arguably more literary merit and less audience fulfillment in that beast of a novel than an action film franchise like John Wick).

On the topic of filmic subjects, however, revenge is often filtered through the ability for the audience to put themselves in the shoes of the enacting party. John Wick is such a cool character because of the way he seamlessly takes down the bad guys who wronged him, partially because the audience can imagine themselves in a similar scenario. Let’s be real here: If someone had destroyed your life and killed those that you were close to, wouldn’t you want to act like an action hero in that scenario? It’s that ability to put yourself in the shoes of someone who embraces an action-packed role in committing to their vengeance that gives these stories more merit on top of their well-executed plots, developed characters, and technical elements that make the film more impressive.

This, however, is what makes Jeremy Saulnier’s 2013 film Blue Ruin so different. Because instead of having your typical macho action hero or calculating tactician as the arbiter of revenge, we instead get Dwight Evans. A homeless man living in his car, Dwight is a social pariah, shown scavenging for food in trash bins and sneaking into people’s homes in order to keep himself bathed. This uncomfortable yet mundane lifestyle is interrupted when he’s informed that Wade Cleland—a member of a criminal family in charge of a limousine company—has been released from prison. It isn’t long into the film that the audience discovers why this is so important: Twenty years ago, Wade murdered Dwight’s parents. Thus begins a slow burn of a film as Dwight, using his limited knowledge of the world after being destitute for a long time, sets out to avenge the murder of his parents.

What makes this film so unique is not just its plot, which throws viewers for a loop even a good twenty minutes into the movie. The main attraction here is, instead, Dwight and what he does in order to get his revenge. Right away it’s established that, despite having the spirit to avenge his family and clearly wishing ill on those who have wronged him, Dwight does not have the same mettle as other revenge story protagonists to act in thoughtful, calculating ways against his opponents. On the outset, this is clearly established in a scene in a club. Dwight follows Wade and the people who picked him up at the prison into the club through the back, never checking to see if there’s anyone there who may spot him. This same scene also involves him trying to pop the tire of a car, cutting his hand open in the process due to his poor handling of a knife. This incompetence is a mainstay of his character, giving every scene a unique type of tension to it because of how unclear it is that Dwight will defeat his latest obstacle unscathed. He is not cut out for the path he’s chosen, and it shows in every action he takes. While this made the movie frustrating to watch—I can’t begin to tell you how many times I grabbed my head watching Dwight’s sheer incompetence in any given situation—it made up for it by giving us a unique and three-dimensional character to cheer on. Despite his flaws, I was still rooting for Dwight to get his revenge, even in situations where the outcome was bound to result in yet another setback. His motivations are justified, he’s just not smart enough to carry out his vision to perfection. Yet to some degree it makes sense, and it works for the type of film it is.

Because Blue Ruin is not an action film. Rather it’s a character study of Dwight as he sets down a path he soon learns he is not prepared for but that he can’t turn away from. His clumsy heroism is the root of the film, with his process for revenge acting as a strong anchor for audiences to watch through their fingers as he continues stumbling toward his goal. Discomfort acts as a way to create a revenge film with similar tropes to popularized ones, but with the added bonus of a character much different than your typical hero searching for closure. Because while he is searching for a form of closure, there are larger implications as to whether his revenge is for the sake of justice or for the sake of greed. This is more of an undertone throughout the film than anything else, but it’s something to keep in the back of your head as you watch.

While I could say more about the story itself, doing so would involve major spoilers that I’m not keen on giving out here. Because saying anything too specific about what happens past the twenty-minute mark will only serve to ruin the excellently-crafted primer sequence for the film. The plot itself, however, is very well done, weaving with the distinctive protagonist in such a way that I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was well done and had a good number of little details to it that I appreciated (though that I regrettably can’t elaborate on for fear of ruining such a unique revenge film). It moved quite well despite the relative slow pace of the film, with a lot happening despite the more relaxed way in which the film transitioned from scene to scene. This only added to how unique it was and, to some capacity, gave me that feeling of stumbling along that I talked about earlier. Not in a poorly paced way, however; it was more like seeing the world through Dwight’s eyes and having to process that while going through the film. And this only strengthened the film for its difference when compared to other revenge stories.

Blue Ruin is a well-plotted film with a protagonist who, while incompetent at enacting his revenge, is still someone you want to root for in his quest. The actual meat of the film’s meaning, however, doesn’t become clear until the end, and while that part in particular may be on the nose, the rest of the movie does a good job at being different in a more subtle manner. This is a must-watch for anyone with an hour and a half to kill who wants to use that time seeing a revenge story unlike any other. This is a suspenseful independent project that only makes me want to see more from the same director and actors involved. A splendid take on the path of vengeance with a strong amount of unique plot point and characterizations to make it worth watching.