Movie Review: 'Deadfall' -- 3 stars

Deadfall
3 stars
Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky
Starring Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde, Charlie Hunnam, Sissy Spacek
Rated R

A film noir set against a blisteringly cold Midwest backdrop, "Deadfall" is that rare modern genre piece that doesn't shy away from being impossibly bleak and downbeat.

It's got a nasty streak, manifest in Eric Bana's Addison, who will do anything to survive a perilous trek through the Upper Michigan frozen tundra to reunite with sister Liza (Olivia Wilde) at the Canadian border following a failed casino heist.

As Addison travels through some troubling territory, Liza fall for handsome parolee Jay (Charlie Hunnam), calling her loyalty to her brother into question.

While the film, from Oscar-winning director Steven Ruzowitzky ("The Counterfeiters"), is no "Fargo," there's a strong sense of place. The blood and gore is given shape and texture when it's supported with vivid scenes inside the local bar and a low-rent motel, and at Jay's family farm, among other locales.

There's a stillness to the movie, manifest in extended character-driven scenes and wide shots of the snow-blanketed terrain. It's a slow burn, with a steady buildup to the violent eruptions that enhances their impact.

It's Oscar season, so there are a lot of movies to see, but keep this one in mind.