Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Thunder Road Blu-ray Movie Review

It ain't a beauty but hey, it's alright.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 29, 2021

Director Jim Cummings' (The Wolf of Snow Hollow) feature-length debut, Thunder Road, builds upon the strengths of his award-winning 2016 short film of the same name. This 92-minute black comedy/drama was was famously shot for under $200,000 and kickstarted by... well, Kickstarter, with the end result standing alongside the likes of Primer as a marvel of low-budget filmmaking that, in almost every department, hides its seams well. Laser-focused and intimately uncomfortable, Thunder Road follows the misadventures of police officer Jim Arnaud (Cummings), who's currently separated from estranged wife Rosalind (Jocelyn DeBoer) when his mother suddenly dies at age 57.

Cummings' original short is essentially a 12-minute one-take shot where officer Jim delivers a painfully awkward eulogy at the funeral, immediately setting a very disarming tone as he runs through a gauntlet of emotions in front of grieving friends and family... which does not include his sister Morgan (Chelsea Edmundson) or brother. It also doubles as the first 12 minutes of this full-length version and just the tip of Jim's mid-life iceberg: Morgan files for divorce and wants sole custody of their precocious daughter Crystal (Kendal Farr), Jim fails to maintain composure on the job, and it isn't long before his deep-seated anger and frustration bubble completely over. But he's fine, honest.

I wasn't as enamored with Cummings' recent drama-comedy-horror hybrid The Wolf of Snow Hollow, where genre clichés distracted from the director's lead performance as almost the same character: a volatile cop struggling with single fatherhood. Thunder Road's more streamlined and realistic story is given sufficient room to unfold, leading to an organic narrative that's much more darkly funny than large portions of its rather grim plot suggest. His very human portrayal of an emasculated police officer drums up sympathy even in today's more unforgiving climate, making Jim a character you pity and can't help but root for. Thunder Road smartly avoids detailing the specifics of his life before recent tragedies struck, revealing a partially unfinished character that lets audiences fill in the blanks. The film's solid cinematography and unwavering commitment to long takes also work in its favor, making first-time viewers forget they're watching a movie that cost much less to make than your average two-bedroom house.

Since this Blu-ray of Thunder Road has been out for quite some time, I'll assume that most interested readers are either working backwards from The Wolf of Snow Hollow or new to Jim Cummings' work completely. It's as capable and well-rounded a debut film as any I've seen and plays perfectly well on the small screen, although the disc itself -- from independent distributor Passion River Films -- offers little more support than a great A/V presentation.

Thunder Road Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Although I was unable to pin down the exact technical roots of Thunder Road, this capably-shot production plays perfectly well on the small screen thanks to a thick and stable 1080p transfer. Shot in just over two weeks in suburban Texas, the film sports a very natural appearance with largely earth-toned colors and mostly natural lighting. Outdoor scenes look predictably great with strong image detail and textures, showcasing a respectable amount of depth that contributes to the film's lived-in atmosphere. Although darker indoor scenes flatten out considerably, shadow detail and black levels are stable with very little in the way of excessive noise or compression artifacts. Thunder Road's admirable commitment to long takes -- none more so than its unbroken, 12-minute opening -- gives viewers time to appreciate the efficient compositions and staging, both of which contribute to its much more "expensive" appearance.

Thunder Road Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The film's straightforward PCM 2.0 audio mix gets the job done just fine, pairing crisp dialogue with well-balanced background effects and sparse music cues -- some performed by Cummings himself -- that sometimes overtake the film for dramatic effect. Channel separation is strong during more intense moments, although discrete panning effects are somewhat rare. No obvious drop-outs, sync issues, or other defects could be heard along the way.

NOTE: English captions, as well as Spanish and French subtitles, are listed on the packaging but not inlcluded.

Thunder Road Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This release arrives in a standard keepcase with stylish cover artwork and no inserts. The menus are very basic and do not include a pop-up menu or even chapter breaks. On-disc bonus features are also extremely limited but many more can easily be found online (interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and the original trailer).

• Director's Interview (20:33) - Recorded on September 12th, 2018 (when the full-length version of Thunder Road debuted theatrically in France), this candid interview with director Jim Cummings was prepped, conducted, shot and edited by journalists Gilles and Charles Vaudois for Place du Cinéma. Among other topics, Cummings speaks about working on a tight budget, expanding the short film, favorite moments, riding with police officers in Texas, and his approach to writing screenplays. This interview is presented in English with no subtitles.

• "The Robbery" Short Film (10:20) - Made after the 2016 success of his original short Thunder Road (not included, but linked above), director Jim Cummings returned with The Robbery, a single-shot black comedy about troubled young Crystal (Rae Gray) and her botched attempt at a convenience store robbery in broad daylight. It's a well-made short and, like the main feature, its commitment to the long take is admirable.

Thunder Road Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jim Cummings' debut film Thunder Road is an impressive black comedy / drama with a big heart, and the first-time director appears to be in full command of just about everything. It plays very well on the small screen thanks to a solid A/V presentation, although the bonus features are thin for the asking price -- an audio commentary, more behind-the-scenes material, or even a few more of Cummings' short films would have helped. It's still well worth seeking out for established fans and newcomers alike, whether or not you enjoyed his follow up, The Wolf of Snow Hollow.