‘The Hollow’ Review
Stars: Miles Doleac, William Forsythe, William Sadler, Jeff Fahey, David Warshofsky, James Callis, Joseph VanZandt, Candice Michele Barley, Christiane Seidel | Written and Directed by Miles Doleac
Often all it takes for me to put a flick on is to see a name of an actor that I have loved in other movies, this can often make me more forgiving and open to watch the next flick that comes along. When I received The Hollow for the intentions of reviewing I was smacked in the face by two such names, William Sadler (Shawshank, Die Hard 2) and William Forsythe (Things to Do in Denver When Your Dead, The Rock). Neither actor is setting the world on fire as of late but as a movie fan you know your about to get some solid performances. I was not wrong.
The Hollow is yet another small town backwoods crime drama genre – the latest in a long line of VOD releases. The difference being that this film has a certain amount of backwoods charm to it that usually tends to fall flat upon replication, This is in no small part due to the performances driving the flick: writer, director and Sstar Miles Doleac, who plays corrupt as balls Deputy Sheriff Ray Everett. In a town that seems to have been forgotten by the outside world Ray is able to function as a truly horrendous unlikable character, But fear not because just about everyone in this down is a bonafide Asshole. The movie kicks into gear fairly quickly when we witness a triple murder down by make-out creek (that’s what they call places like that right). One of the victims being an under-age girl we witnessed barely 10 minutes ago giving Officer Ray some pretty bad head (like a said he is a proper shit bag)… The FBI comes swarming into town when it is revealed one of the other victims is the daughter of a US Congressman. The game of small town cover up vs government stooges begins.
I’m not going to dive to deep into The Hollow because it is your standard by the numbers crime/drama. I said towards the start of this write-up that sometimes all it takes is a couple of names that you recognize as regular Jobbers who tend to put in solid performances and that is certainly one of the things this movie has going for it. Forsythe, Sadler and Jeff Fahey all being shining lights for me. Not to be out shone in his own movie though Doleac manages to portray a truly horrendous shit bag with no redeeming quality’s at all pretty expertly and that is where your Movie can live or die. Take nothing away from the supporting cast either they were all great just that most characters were fairly one dimensional.
Personally I feel like The Hollow is a good enough movie with some solid performances that you would be kept entertained. The script is not exactly Tarantino levels, while it does at times feel like thats what Doleac was going for, but as I said at the start when you sit down to this movie, you know what your getting.
The Hollow is a solid recommend in a sea of by the numbers crime/dramas ; it has some pretty great performances and for the directors second feature this is a solid effort.