Small Town Murder Songs

Small Town Murder Songs

I love praising Canadian films. There seem to be more and more. I congratulate Director Ed Gass-Donnelly on this film. It has already been featured in several film festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival. I really loved the music. It was almost like being at a revival meeting. It was loud and joyous with a religious fervor.

The film is set in Western Ontario in Mennonite country. I did see Palmerston and Listowel mentioned in the credits.

A murder has been committed. A nude female was discovered in a field. Who did it? The local policeman, Walter, aptly played by Peter Stormare tries to solve his first murder. He is an interesting man. Throughout the film we get an impression of his past life. He was an angry man and had done things for which he was sorry. At the beginning of the film we see him being baptized in a pool. He became a changed man committed to doing good and being in a relationship.

He has an idea who committed the murder and he goes about trying to get a confession. The problem is that the suspected murderer is living with his ex girlfriend. Some of these antics are not too believable. The policeman is such an antithesis to the suspected murderer who looks a bit like his vicious dog. He is unkempt and badly in need of a wash and shave.

I liked the film. The music was such an important part of the film. I liked the contrast between the Mennonite folk living peacefully in the area and the angry mean suspected murderer. I liked the contrast between Walter’s new live in girlfriend and his former tough beautiful lady friend now living with the suspected murderer. Jill Hennessy plays Walter’s former girl friend.

The actors do a fine job. Jackie Burroughs was hardly recognizable as she played the part of an elderly Mennonite woman. Her acting is always superb. I do question the attempt to make her teeth look old. It looked as if they put brown play dough on her mouth. I couldn’t distinguish the teeth and had to look down or I would have laughed out loud.

I wondered why the audience seemed to all be so young. I certainly stood out. It must have been the premier performance and all the friends of the crew and actors were in attendance. I was fortunate to hear the Q & A following the film. I did not join them for a beer in the nearby local tavern.

It seems as if the whole film was based on a song which then was developed into this film. One viewer questioned the character of the policeman. The director said that he couldn’t comment because he feels that the audience should have the right to see the characters as they choose. Individual interpretation was great with him. I liked his casual light hearted manner. He stated,” Editing is fixing my bad direction.” I even liked the film.