After missing this by minutes at TIFF (I went to the box office when I should have went to the venue and joined the rush line...oops) I finally was able to see it at a sold out screening in the town where it was shot. In the time between it's premiere in Toronto and the screening I finally saw it at I had seen reviews slowly appearing here and there. While there was good word from Toronto media, which seems partial to hometown boy Ed Glass-Donnelly, I was also seeing less favourable reviews which seemed to be critical of the pacing and the soundtrack. The fact is I found both of these elements of the movie were executed brilliantly. The sound is sparse, the dialogue crisp and clear driving this character study toward it's realistically explosive conclusion. The music was used in excellent way to build atmosphere. The songs by Bruce Peninsula were especially appropriate. Coming from a small town I must add that some of the characters in Smalltown Murder Songs could live right next to me. Believable.
Review of Small Town Murder Songs
