The ties that bind us can often be constricting. In writer/director Derek Magyar’s short film River of Grass, two brothers are forced to confront their past, present, and future when one returns from military service, only to discover that nothing can ever be the same.
Mild-mannered Larry Johnson (Dylan McTee) arrives back from the Vietnam War to a warm family welcome. All seems well at first glance, but his older brother Robert Johnson (Victor Webster) has been running with some rather unpleasant crowds since Larry’s time fighting abroad. One evening, a dangerous deal with the unhinged Joshua (Darren Darnborough) brings these sinister revelations to a head.
The tightly composed interactions and simmering feuds that unfold within Derek Magyar’s River of Grass are what make it truly stand out. Magyar and co-writers Jon Bloch and Chad Christopher tap into the duality of both Larry and Robert, highlighting how their differences, and perhaps even a few similarities, make their lives that much more alike. Whenever the two brothers are on screen together, it almost feels like Magyar is manipulating the fuse of a powder keg, match in hand. And when that fateful meeting with Darnborough’s Joshua goes down, tensions reach a fever pitch.
Webster embodies the rough and rugged Robert with a charisma that instantly elevates any scene he is in, and thankfully, Magyar places the character front and center. Robert, a callous, cold-blooded man without any remorse, dives headfirst into the murky waters of the criminal element, bringing hell back to the Johnson homestead. This, of course, stands in stark contrast to poor Larry, who’s battle fatigue demands a warm, cozy environment. Instead, the veteran must confront his own violent tendencies. McTee handles this battle skillfully, silent one moment, seething the very next.
The bleaker corners of this small-town setting constrict everyone, especially Larry. At points, it feels like Magyar is inspired by Martin McDonagh’s use of environmental hostility in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. What appears quaint on the surface has a darker tinge underneath it, and the film gradually brings these into the light at a chillingly methodical pace.
Home has never felt so uninviting. River of Grass excels as a riveting drama, featuring authentic characters portrayed by actors delivering their best performances.
