by Seth Rogovoy

Blow the Man Down is a quirky, indie film that I’ve seen described variously as a black comedy and a regional noir. I like both those genres, and I suppose Blow the Man Down combines a bit of both, along with a hefty dose of feminism and New England gothic (think Stephen King, but without the supernatural). Now being streamed on Prime Video, the film – directed by Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy — has no real stars to speak of, although most viewers will recognize Margo Martindale, who has enjoyed a great run of creative and commercial success over the past five years or so.

The story centers on two young adult sisters in the wake of their mother’s death. A somewhat inexplicable crime happens, which plunges the sisters deep into their town’s secret history, the sweep of which includes their own deceased mother. As it turns out, things were never what they seemed to be in the fictional fishing village of Easter Cove, in a film that refreshingly features women in almost all the significant (and insignificant) roles.

 

The Boston Globe’s Ty Burr called Blow the Man Down “Fargo with lobsters,” which isn’t too far off the mark. It reaches for something more mythic – it’s very Shakespearean, or even Greek – and if it doesn’t quite grasp it, it’s still an enjoyable thriller.

 

But the ending! What the hell happened?  Let me know if you can figure it out.