One of the biggest and coolest thing about the Dallas International Film Festival is getting the opportunity to be amongst the first people to see films that will be getting released by large studios down the road, but what is even bigger and cooler is when I get to be amongst a group of people that see a film that has everything it takes to be the next film that EVERYONE will be talking about.
“Bomb City” is that film.
Based on a true story from the mid ‘90s in Amarillo, Texas that is simply about murder and controversy as it pertains to the punk rock scene, this film won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, and it doggone well should have. By the time I was able to see it, “Bomb City” had already shown to two sold-out screenings as well as my turn, which was also packed to the rafters. Featuring established names like Glen Morshower (who nails it in each and every scene he is featured in as an attorney in the court case surrounding the story), Lorelei Linklater (who is growing more and more in her craft each time I see her as the girlfriend of one of the punk rock characters), and UFC fighter Robbie Lawler (one of the policemen that may or may not have a bias) as well as names you WILL know like Dave Davis (who brings Brian Deneke alive with the perfect balance of all-around nice guy and suppressed rage with those who would react to him with resentment based on misunderstanding), Dominic Ryan Gabriel (Brian’s brother whose temperament isn’t exactly the same as his Brian’s), Logan Huffman (the jock bully child of privilege that I loved to hate), and Luke Shelton as Cody Cates, the jock who is not quite sure how to direct his teenage rage and angst (put together by casting director and producer Major Dodge), this film with a script by director Jameson Brooks and Sheldon Chick will punch you in the gut in a way that few films have been able to do for me in a long time. With honest storytelling and its unabashed, unapologetic, and openness to its characters no matter what their contribution is to the story, this was also the first time in long term memory where I found myself leaning forward in my seat for most of a film and didn’t even realize it.
There is also great work behind the scenes by Chick and his brother, Sheldon, on a score that enhances what is on the screen without overpowering the story it is trying to help tell, which it succeeds on every level. There is absolutely nothing about “Bomb City” that I did not find fascinating, compelling, and just simply awesome.
“Bomb City” is a great discussion piece for people across generations, interests, backgrounds, and lifestyles. This is definitely an adult-oriented drama, but that does not mean families with high school-aged children should not watch this together and then talk about things like bullying, embracing our differences as people, and the consequences of the choices that we make. No matter what you have to do within the limits of the law, find a way to see this film, but do yourself a favor and do not research the story if you do not know much about it; this will add even more to it for you. I personally am taking it upon myself to champion “Bomb City” as a film that needs and more than deserves larger distribution not only because it is a great film but also because of the passion and love that all of the filmmakers involved have for this story, which makes me even more passionate for them. These are the highest quality of people who have given us the gift of the highest quality of films that deserves every bit of accolade that I can give it.