In North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains, eighteen-year-old Jacob McNeely is torn between appeasing his meth-dealing kingpin father and leaving the mountains forever with the girl he loves.
Acting
Thornton chews scenery like it's meth-flavored jerky.
Cinematography
Mountains so gorgeous they mock the ugliness below.
Writing
Dialogue that actually sounds like rural NC, not Hollywood hillbilly.
Director
Ben Young
Billy Bob Thornton
Charlie McNeely
Hopper Penn
Jacob McNeely
Brian d'Arcy James
Bo
Jackie Earle Haley
Rogers
Robin Wright
Virgie
Emma Booth
Josephine
Katelyn Nacon
Maggie
Harrison Gilbertson
Bull
David Kallaway
Gerald Cabe
Stephen Matthew Smith
Avery
Hopper Penn
Jacob
Elena Sanchez
Nurse Carol
Griff Furst
Coach Cooper
Ritchie Montgomery
Ed
Mark Ashworth
Lude
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Hopper Penn is Sean Penn's son; his casting adds unintentional Hollywood dynasty irony to a story about escaping family legacy.
Based on David Joy's novel—he's part of a wave of Appalachian writers reclaiming the region from 'Hillbilly Elegy' stereotypes.
US
