Blood for Dust

“Blood for Dust” never makes one false move as it leads its characters into temptation and then hell.

[W]hatever its shortcomings, including too much solemnity and not enough jokes, there's no denying that the film creates a powerful mood and sustains it.

[A] modest, character-driven modern noir.

"Blood for Dust” is a throwback, in the sense of being exceedingly familiar. An early shot of a snow-covered parking lot inevitably evokes “Fargo,” but “Blood for Dust” doesn’t have a witty line or a glimmer of humor.

The film is held together by the intensity of its haunted-looking cast and the dour atmosphere.

An admirably stripped-down affair that allows its cast to be its strength, including solid turns from Stephen Dorff and Ethan Suplee.

The setup is promising but the end product doesn’t fully deliver, offering a sobering, often gruesome tale of bad decisions from impossible choices and the consequences that inevitably follow.

Blackhurst’s gritty and grounded storytelling in “Blood for Dust” breathes new life into the plot device, and—with the brilliantly-acted contentious chemistry betwen McNairy and Harrington—succeeds perfectly.

Blood for Dust is a thriller that's so grim it sucks out any possible fun and meaning. The soundtrack is enticing, but insinuates suspense, which never truly comes during this film's runtime.

The screenplay is not offering much that’s new. However, when you have a good foundation and actors who know how to deliver, sometimes a film not feeling so fresh in conception isn’t such a bad thing.