You’ll savor the sweet nectar of ‘Amziah King’
Forget Ulysses and Spider-Man; the buzziest superhero of the summer is a mandolin-strumming apiarist with a honey of a tale to tell in the brilliant bee-noir “The Rivals of Amziah King.” And all I can say is all right, all right, all right! Because this unexpected gem from Oklahoma-based writer-director Andrew Patterson is fueled almost entirely by one Matthew McConaughey, rendering the title character among the finest, most memorable roles of his career.
Much like another August gem from the past, 2016’s “Hell or High Water,” Patterson sets his neo-Western in the present, lending it a subtle political bent in which the “little guy” destroys a member of the Epstein class with ruthless cunning tempered by an endearing slice of moxie. And like the David Mackenzie classic, Patterson (“The Vast of Night”) presents a dynamic duo with family ties. Where Chris Pine and Ben Foster were brothers, McConaughey and exciting newcomer Angelina LookingGlass portray a foster parent and his former charge, Kateri.
As the film opens, they haven’t seen each other in more than a decade, but thanks to a series of hilariously bizarre events, they wind up in the same diner at the same time. She just happens to be his waitress; a thankless job he offers to relieve her of. “Come work for me,” he says, and I’ll make you the money honey of honey. The gig will also earn her an instant family of unrelated backwoods ragamuffins who ain’t much for law-abiding but sure can whip up impromptu Americana music jams on the spot, be it in a fast-food parking lot or Amziah’s tight kitchen.
Their picking, strummin’ and drummin’ fill both her and us with delight, often with McConaughey on vocals. Getting to know the players is a pleasure, goosing the first half of the flick with comedic antics that can only happen to rascally, devil-may-care good ol’ boys like this. At one point, their misadventures temporarily cost the guy on banjo his scalp, but no matter. Just sew it back on.
In almost no time, you’re having visions of the Coens and “O Brother, Where Art Thou” dancing through your head. “OK,” you say to yourself, “I’ve got this thing figured out.” But surprise, you’re dead wrong. Much like the structure of “Psycho,” “The Brutalist” and “The Place Beyond the Pines,” Patterson pulls the rug out from under us and begins an entirely new movie midpoint. This latter one starring LookingGlass as the protagonist in a Southern noir in which she’s determined to exact revenge on a group of crooks led by “respected” businessman Dob McCoy, played by Kurt Russell in a brief but effective cameo.
The switch-up is a little jarring at first but unfolds beautifully, though you desperately miss the music jams from the front half and McConaughey even more. Not to worry, LookingGlass proves more than capable of carrying a motion picture all on her own. For me, all it took was seeing her unleash a smile that could light up dozens of data centers. What a find on Patterson’s part. And the trust he places in his inexperienced star pays off tenfold.
Whether the scene calls for her to be sweet, badass, or even a little bit lethal, her Kateri has your complete attention, as well as your immense sympathy. You go, girl! She also helps solidify the movie’s prime metaphor of small-time Southern life mirroring a beehive consisting of workers (the grunts), drones (the enforcers), and the queen, on whom the entire operation depends.
To illustrate this ecosystem, McConaughey’s Amziah daringly reaches into a hive to grab a queen, holding it tight between his thumb and forefinger. Within seconds, hundreds of bees swarm around his hand, forming what looks like a black and yellow glove. I know I’d never have the guts to do it, but McConaughey does, entering a zen-like state in which he keeps his hand perfectly still. Amazing!
After a while, you find yourself debating if McConaughey is Amziah King or if Amziah King is him? It’s a stunning performance, filling the first hour of the film with joy and awe. So good, you hope that he’s not forgotten come awards season. Same for LookingGlass in one of the most dynamic debuts I can recall ever seeing.
She’s the entire package, petite in size but massive in her talents and abilities, particularly her mid-story transformation from a curious, naive young woman just welcomed into the hive to an aggressive, determined vigilante who will stop at nothing. But don’t take my word. See it for yourself. I’m sure you’ll agree, it’s the bee’s knees.
Movie review
The Rivals of Amziah King
Rated: R for language and some grisly images
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Kurt Russell, Jake Horowitz, Rob Morgan and Owen Teague
Director: Andrew Patterson
Writer: Andrew Patterson
Runtime: 130 minutes
Where: In theaters (limited)
Grade: A
