critics consensus

Thanks to a talented cast and its uncommon depth, Nichols' debut manages to rise above its overly familiar plot. Read critic reviews

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Shotgun Stories Photos

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Movie Info

Backed by siblings Kid (Barlow Jacobs) and Boy (Douglas Ligon), Son Hayes (Michael Shannon) tells the attendees at his father's funeral that he and his brothers hated the dead man, then spits on his grave. This triggers a battle with the siblings' half brothers, which soon leaves Kid dead and Son seriously hurt. As the half brothers stockpile weapons for what they assume will be a deadly encounter, Boy visits them and suggests an end to the fighting.

Rating:

PG-13 (Brief Strong Language|Violence|Thematic Elements)
Genre:

drama, mystery and thriller
Original Language:

English
Director:

Jeff Nichols
Producer:

David Gordon Green, Lisa Muskat, Jeff Nichols
Writer:

Jeff Nichols
Release Date (Theaters):

Dec 14, 2007 limited
Release Date (Streaming):

Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA):

$45.7K
Runtime:

1h 32m
Production Co:

Muskat Filmed Properties, Upload Films

Cast & Crew

Michael Shannon
Son Hayes

Douglas Ligon
Boy Hayes

Barlow Jacobs
Kid Hayes

Natalie Canerday
Nicole

Glenda Pannell
Annie

Jeff Nichols
Director

Show all Cast & Crew

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Critic Reviews for Shotgun Stories

All Critics (49) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (5)

Quote not available.

November 18, 2011 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Derek Adams
Time Out
Quote not available.

November 17, 2011 | Rating: 2/5

Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
There is much to "Shotgun Stories" that elevates it above the fray of Green derivatives and unflattering categorizations, bolstered by a roster of naturalistic, fully assimilated performances, led by "Bug"'s now ubiquitous Michael Shannon.

August 8, 2009 | Full Review…

Leo Goldsmith
indieWire
Quote not available.

October 18, 2008 | Rating: A | Full Review…

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Set in rural Arkansas, Jeff Nichols' relaxed, distinctive debut revels in the milieu of its redneck characters, but injects their rural half-blood feud with an almost mythic quality.

October 18, 2008 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Steve Rose
Guardian
A precisely modulated yet cumulatively forceful story of a rural family feud turned deadly.

October 18, 2008 | Full Review…

Eddie Cockrell
Variety
Nichols simmers his gripping tragedy in a stew-pot seasoned with the beats of a rural family comedy...

June 18, 2020 | Full Review…

David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
Paints an engagingly naturalistic portrait of its characters and the lives they lead that manages to be both lyrical and gritty at the same time.

July 6, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Matthew Lucas
From the Front Row
Slowness drags the score into repetitive motifs that never seem to speed or slow and locks the dialogue into an occasionally artificial-sounding gravity.

August 21, 2017 | Full Review…

Annie Wagner
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
Nichols' original take on classic themes of vengeance and retribution is dropped into a world of real people struggling with the real problems of making a living, taking responsibility for families and dealing with the betrayals of the past.

March 9, 2017 | Full Review…

Sean Axmaker
Seanax.com
A kind of modern and direct western where violence isn't seen but you can feel it. [Full review in Spanish]

January 23, 2017 | Full Review…

Alberto Abuín
Espinof
...at once a small, regional tale and something mythic.

August 2, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm

View All Critic Reviews (49)

Audience Reviews for Shotgun Stories

Jan 15, 2017

Jeff Nichols' feature debut is a beautifully shot film about the consequences and cycle of violence, with memorable performances, judicious editing and great use of music. Looking back now, one of the greatest pleasures is seeing the potential Nichols has promised here being fully realised in later works like Take Shelter and Midnight Special, as well as the influence the film has had on works such as Blue Ruin.

Daniel P Super Reviewer
Oct 22, 2014

A slow, thoughtful, and brutally realistic look on a family torn apart by a father's infidelities, and after his death how violence erupts between the two families he started in his life. Michael Shannon, a method actor who is on the verge of typecasting himself as the "psycho" guy in movies, plays the part of a quiet man well. It is not a film for everyone because as said, it is paced almost to a crawl, but the character development and rising action are both well constructed by director Mike Nichols. If you like urban dramas that offer a different slice of life that are not seen in many movies, this is worth a view.

Dan S Super Reviewer
Jul 29, 2013

[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]

Directors C Super Reviewer
Jul 10, 2013

A fantastic debut for Jeff Nichols, Shotgun Stories is a deep atmospheric family thriller, approaching the cause/effect concept through very personal routes, aided by a brilliant lead performance by Michael Shannon. Try not to know anything from the story when first viewing it, it will just have a whole different impact, I can assure you. A very promising start to an already very good career for the director.

Francisco G Super Reviewer