Dead Man’s Wire (2005)

Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting) brings style and contemporary relevance to this old school thriller led by a deliciously unhinged Bill Skarsgård.

After being screwed over by a mortgage company, Tony takes the manager hostage in an attempt to get back his money and, crucially, an apology. Skarsgård leads a stellar ensemble cast featuring Colman Domingo and Al Pacino with a performance that brilliantly oscillates between edgy mania and Midwest pleasantries.

Van Sant’s filmmaking equally contrasts clean, handsome frames with VHS news footage – exploring the relationship between mass media, crime and social injustice. This, alongside the intertwining of economic resentment with personal grievances, give the 70s-set film a prophetic feeling – as if Dog Day Afternoon had predicted social media.

The filmmaking showcases a tonal sophistication and social engagement that help Dead Man’s Wire rise above being simply a great thriller with a hypnotic eccentric at its heart. George Earwicker

USA, 2025. Director Gus Van Sant. Screenplay by Austin Kolodney from the 2018 documentary Dead Man’s Line by Alan Berry and Mark Enochs. With Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha’la. 105 mins. 15

Introduced by Rupert Preston, CEO, Vertigo Releasing.

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