I think we forget just how good an actor Matthew McConaughey can be. Sure, he won an Academy Award for Dallas Buyers Club way back in 2014, but he also goes through long spells where he’s not asked to do nearly as much. Before last year’s thriller The Lost Bus, we hadn’t seen him leading a feature film in six years, and while he was very good in that, the full extent of McConaughey’s talent and charisma is on full display in The Rivals of Amziah King. Easily one of the best movies of the year, it’s a film that defies easy description. Part crime thriller, an emphatic celebration of community, and a backwoods rock musical, there’s no other film out there that’s quite like it.
Directed with verve and style by Andrew Patterson, whose sci-fi breakout The Vast of Night is a cult favorite for genre fans, The Rivals of Amziah King sees him expand his palette considerably. You can see it in the rousing opening sequence, as we’re swept through a small rural Oklahoma town, landing at a local restaurant where McConaughey’s Amziah King rides up, orders a bunch of food for his buddies, then proceeds to jam out with them right there in the parking lot. Fiddles, banjos, and harmonicas are the order of the day for this bluegrass band, and it’s clear that this sort of night is old hat for them.
What’s also clear is that Amziah, a honey maker and distributor, is the glue that holds this community together. The people rally around him, and Amziah is a genuinely good man who smiles easily and gives more than he takes. Patterson, who also wrote the screenplay, takes us deep into the little world that orbits Amiah, because it’s full of wild, colorful characters and hilarious chaos. Scott Shepherd plays Amiah’s right-hand man in the honey business, even though Amziah can barely understand his mushmouthed ex-con pal’s speech. Tony Revolori plays Komar, a newbie to the group who nearly loses his head during the honey-making process. The always underrated Rob Morgan is also good as Rippy, both a member of the band and also Amziah’s unofficial attorney if needed to be.
The first hour of The Rivals of Amziah King is all about fleshing out this close-knit community, but it really takes off with the introduction of newcomer Angelina LookinGlass as Kateri. It’s this heartwarming relationship that is the glue holding this film together. Kateri was a foster child living happily with Amziah and his wife, until the state removed her after the wife’s tragic passing. Now she’s grown up and returned home, and Amziah happily brings her back into his life to train her as his apprentice. It’s another example of Amziah reaching out to help someone who is clearly lost, a bit adrift in life, as we find out he’s done for many others.
It’s to Patterson’s credit that the film is wildly entertaining throughout, even as the second half is a very different kind of movie. For much of it, I was wondering if a traditional narrative would emerge; as it most resembled an observant slice-of-life. That would’ve been fine with me because there’s so much to love about the people, the culture, and the music. But then the second hour is much darker, with Kateri revealed to be the film’s true protagonist. Things get murky and violent, with the introduction of Kurt Russell as a local business whose unscrupulous practices lead to tragedy. Turns out the honey business is a lot more cutthroat than one might think, and Kateri has to show she can be the same way.
The Rivals of Amziah King has been one of the most talked-about movies since it debuted at SXSW last year, but for months it was unclear if it would get distribution. I can see why. It’s so many different things that choosing how to market it would be tough. But I’m glad that Black Bear Pictures did acquire it, and smartly has focused on the music and McConaughey, a joyful combination that is infectious. Don’t be surprised if McConaughey starts getting buzz for awards again, as this is one of the best roles and finest performances of his career.
Black Bear Pictures releases The Rivals of Amziah King in theaters on August 14th.
