ErstwhileSpecialForcesoperativeDocAlexanderisaskedtobrokeratrucewiththeMexicandrugcartelinsecrecy.WhenOklahomaGovernorRichardJeffscelebratestheexecutionofahigh-rankingcartelmemberonTV,hisChiefofStaffandDocinformhimaboutthepeacehejustended.Butit’stoolate,asCuco,thecartel’shatchetman,hassethisvengefulsightsonDoc’sdaughterDixie. Theydon’tmake’emlikeLittleDixieanymore:honedtothebone,allgesturesandactions,onlyafewwords.Toomanygenrefilmsthesedaystrytocreatemeaningbypilingideasandintentionsontheirnarrativeframes.JohnSwab,asalways,workstheotherwayaround.Meaninganddepthcomefromtakingawaywhateverissuperfluous–byreducingtheplottoitsbareessenceandthecharacterstotheircoretradesandtricks. Ultimately,LittleDixiefeelslikethepulpfictionversionofaGiacomettisculpture,allfearfulsymmetriesandmirrorimages.Agemofcrimecinemaatitspurestandmostphilosophical,proudlyfeaturingnoir’snewdarling,FrankGrillo.
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