Cook County Screening at Watkins

White Bluff native Anson Mount graduated from Dickson High and Sewanee, but in his steady film and TV career he’s graduated from the likes of Crossroads and Urban Legends: Final Cut to impressive roles in striking indie features along the lines of his breakout film Tully in 2002. Not only did Mount co-produce this gritty slice-of-meth drama by first-time writer-director David Pomes, he shows scary new range as a backwoods crank kingpin losing what few scruples he has. He’s especially good with veteran character actor Xander Berkeley (as his newly straight brother) and Ryan Donowho (as his desperately responsible nephew); together, they form a believably ravaged family unit, and the rural milieu of tweakers and enabling convenience stores rings true. In a wise move, the filmmakers are bypassing the megaplex logjam and touring their film around the Southeast. Pomes will host one screening Saturday night at Watkins and another 8 p.m. Tuesday at Austin Peay in Clarksville. Next up for Mount: a juicy role in Rod Lurie’s remake of—shudder—Sam Peckinpah’s rabid Straw Dogs.
Sat., Sept. 19, 8 p.m., 2009