Stillwater is one of the best films of 2021.

This was written after I attended a pre-release screening for this film on July 28th, 2021. The screening was held by Focus Features at AMC Westroads in Omaha, Nebraska.

Many people, particularly cinephiles and indie filmmakers, push this conjecture that Hollywood doesn’t release original movies anymore when they clearly do every year. Stillwater is one of them- a bold, subversive film that’s not only timely but also emotionally riveting. The performances, direction and production value make this a worthy follow-up to Todd McCarthy’s 2015 hit Spotlight. Matt Damon is as fantastic as ever along with the rest of the cast. The film immerses the viewer into the everyday lives and culture of both working class Americans and in France, and without being patronizing to either side.

Grade- 4 out of 4 stars.