Clay Pigeons

Anyone who is interested in writing a script should watch Clay Pigeons. The first scene, which starts with the eponymous Clay (Joaquin Phoenix) and Earl (Gregory Sporleder) shooting some beer bottles out in Utah countryside, suddenly turns on its head when Earl accuses Clay of sleeping with his wife, Amanda (Georgina Cates). And Earl's got the gun in his hand. Within a couple of scenes there's been a couple of murders and Clay has made some very bad decisions. Just when you think the story can't get more complicated, in strolls Lester Long (Vince Vaughn), a cowboy who fancies himself a ladies-man. But there's something rather odd about the smooth-talker. Eventually the FBI gets involved, in the shape of Agent Shelby (Janeane Garofalo) and Agent Reynard (Phil Morris), who suspect Clay of a series of murders in the state, though the local sheriff (Scott Wilson) doesn't agree with their conclusions.

This is a fine ensemble cast, and everyone puts in strong performances. Phoenix is particularly good as Clay, a small-town guy who puts himself deeper and deeper in trouble because of his dubious moral choices. It's the fact that Clay is weak, but earnest, which keeps our affections for him. Vaughn is fantastic as the strutting cowboy who harbours bad attitudes for women underneath his good-boy charm. Though Garofalo is only in the latter half of the movie, she shines as the cynical and suspicious FBI agent, who finds the small-town mentality a little too claustrophobic.

The movie is directed by David Dobkin, who does a great job, and quite amazingly this is his first feature film. Likewise, the script was written by Matthew L. Healy, and while it wasn't his first script (it was his third), it was his first film. When I consulted the production notes on the DVD I was not too surprised to notice that the director of photography for the film was Eric Alan Edwards, who did the cinematography for My Own Private Idaho (and of course, Joaquin's brother, River, acted in that movie). In Clay Pigeons we have the same striking landscapes interspersing the action, and combined with some atmospheric lighting, make this a gorgeous film to watch. The soundtrack matches the film well, with some moody country and western tracks, a bit of the King, and the final appropriate "Everybody's Talkin' " done by Tonic.

If you like your humour oddball and dark, and you like your cowboys cute, but dangerous, then you should enjoy Clay Pigeons.

Article Author: Maura McHugh

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