Meskada (2008)

33% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
22% of users liked it
(796 ratings)

Meskada follows a small-town detective named Noah Cordin as he struggles to solve the brutal murder of a boy in the peaceful, affluent town of Hilliard. The killers left behind no clues at the crime scene, with the exception of a scrap of paper leading Cordin back to his hometown of Caswell. Here,… More Meskada follows a small-town detective named Noah Cordin as he struggles to solve the brutal murder of a boy in the peaceful, affluent town of Hilliard. The killers left behind no clues at the crime scene, with the exception of a scrap of paper leading Cordin back to his hometown of Caswell. Here, Cordin and county detective Leslie Spencer consult with Cordin's old friends, all of whom are suffering from the economic troubles that have plunged Caswell into near destitution. As their search fails to turn up a suspect, feverish tensions rise between the towns of Hilliard and Caswell, until the film reaches its shocking climax. Meskada captures a snapshot of quintessential American small-town life. The story calls to mind our nation's history, the brutal clashes over land and territory, the class-divides and the improbable victories for equal opportunity. Meskada portrays a vivid picture of the rift between characters in two towns, people bound by loyalty, family, community, and a battle born of circumstances beyond their control. -- (C) Official Site

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Josh Sternfeld
Written By: Josh Sternfeld
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Dec 3, 2010 Limited
On DVD: Mar 22, 2011
Studio: Red Flag Releasing

Critic Reviews

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
Good but perhaps not good enough, "Meskada" can be thought of as solid letter-grade-B work.
Derek Adams, Time Out
Small in scope but smart in the way it deals with how cosy communities react when something rotten surfaces in their world.
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
Efforts are muddled and the story incomplete, making the feature limp along, in search of something substantial and focused to lean against. While initially moody and raw, the film quickly falls apart.
Diego Costa, Slant Magazine
It might be fair to investigate if "Josh Sternfeld" is a programming language, not a director.
Blake French, Filmcritic.com
The script needs a map -- or a world atlas, for that matter -- because it has no clue where it's going or how to get there.
Mark Keizer, Boxoffice Magazine
Completely inauthentic at almost every level.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Todd S

Meskada is another direct-to-video feature I knew nothing about ahead of time. I choose it because the story sounded interesting and I love the cast. In these cases, the film is usually hit or miss, with no in-between. In the case of Meskada, it's definitely a hit! The story… More
Meskada is another direct-to-video feature I knew nothing about ahead of time. I choose it because the story sounded interesting and I love the cast. In these cases, the film is usually hit or miss, with no in-between. In the case of Meskada, it's definitely a hit! The story follows a local detective, investigating the death of a child, during a home invasion. What makes Meskada different from the rest is that 15 minutes into the film, you know who did it and why, it's not a mystery. Nick Stahl who I usually don't like and Jonathan Tucker who I've always liked are both fantastic in this film. It's roles that neither is really used to playing and both stepped up to the challenge. The story wasn't all that strong, but the acting was, and what I really liked about this film is how it came at a common story in an unconventional way. It's defiantly worth checking out!

Cast

            Nick Stahl as Noah Cordin

            Rachel Nichols as Leslie Spencer

            Kellan Lutz as Eddie Arlinger

            Jonathan Tucker as Shane Loakin

            Norman Reedus as Dennis Burrows

            Grace Gummer as Nat Collins

            James McCaffrey as Billy Burns

            Laura Benanti as Allison Connor

            Michael Cerveris as Terrance Lindy

            Michael Sirow as Daniel Hartfield

            Rebecca Henderson as Lyla burrows

            Kerry Bishé as Emily Cordin

            Charlie Tahan as Keith Burrows

            J.D. Rosen as Carl Everson

            Max Antisell as Zack Cordin

            Kathy Searle as Jane Hartfield

            David Aaron Baker as DA Russ Winston

            Johnny Hopkins as Chris Ainslie

            Michael Goodin as Meth Head

            Jonathan Whitcup as Jerry Collum

            Greg Sealy as Sheriff Tom Bowen

            Eric Martin as Ronald Harlin

            and Shawn Rice as Officer 1

            Terry McGee as Commissioner 1

            Bridget Bujke as Woman 1

            Jen Gatien as Anchor Woman

            Rachel Heller as Field Reporter

            Doug Mayer as Officer 2

            Jenny Parsinen as Bar Local

            Kyle Stein as Kid at Fair 1

            Dylan Stein as Kid at Fair 2

            Erin Brooke Stein as Kidat Fair 3
See full cast