Knife

Set in rural Texas the story chronicles an unnamed man with a broken spirit. In the beginning we see him returning to his family. Where he’s been is unknown. Wherever it was – prison, maybe war – the years have not been kind to him. In spite of his family’s warm welcome the man can’t shake an anger that builds in him so he must leave them again. This time to return to the land that was once theirs, a land that had been in the family for generations, a land that has been stolen, plundered, and sewn with seeds of greed. There’s a force at work, a corruption that destroys homes, nature, families, and memories. The Man decides to lay his stakes down and pits himself against it all. He is on a ruinous mission to sate the hatred in his heart with the knife he carries in his hand.

Directed by James M. Johnston, Knife leans on a strong ensemble — Charles Baker, Frederic Doss, Matt Socia — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2011.