Synopsis:
Deep in the wilds of Appalachia, the daughter of a snake-handling preacher preparing for a marriage she doesn’t really want carries a secret that could tear the entire community apart.
Directed by: Britt Poulton & Dan Madison Savage
Written by: Britt Poulton (as Brittany Poulton) & Dan Madison Savage
Starring: Olivia Colman, Kaitlyn Dever, Walton Goggins, Alice Englert
Awards/Nominations:
- Nominee: Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic (2019)
- Nominee: Seattle International Film Festival Grand Jury Prize – Best Feature Film (2019)
- Winner: Newport Beach Film Festival Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking – Ensemble Cast (2019)
- Nominee: Detroit Film Critics Society Awards DFCS Award – Breakthrough (2019)
- Nominee: Cleveland International Film Festival Local Heroes Competition (2019)
- Nominee: Casting Society of America, USA Artios – Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Low Budget Feature – Comedy or Drama (2020)
My Edition:
Streaming (I think it was a trial of Showtime)
Just Watch has it streaming with subs/available for rent in quite a few places though.
My Thoughts:
Between the Appalachian setting, and the slow, ominous pacing Them That Follow starts out feeling a lot like a V.C. Andrews joint. But don’t worry – it doesn’t devolve into increasingly far-fetched melodrama. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a good Dollenganger shit-show as much as the next guy, but this movie is only initially going to seem like it’s headed there. It does share that same sort of Appalachian-gothic vibe though. If Appalachian Gothic isn’t already a sub-genre, it damned well should be.
But worry not – there’s drama aplenty here. Mara (Alice Englert, Ratched) is the daughter of Pentecostal snake-handling preacher Lemuel (Walton Goggins, Everything). And Mara is all set to marry Garret (Lewis Pullman, Bad Times at the El Royale – also, son of Mr. President William ‘Lonestar’ Pullman), much to her father’s delight. But Mara doesn’t love Garret – she loves Augie. But Augie isn’t part of the…congregation? Parrish? Whatever. He doesn’t do the thing with the snakes. His family does, but he’s more or less a grown ass man who decided that wasn’t for him.
RIGHT?!
So anyway, because he doesn’t subscribe to their faith, Lemuel doesn’t want his daughter to have anything to do with him. So – Garret. Well, Garret sucks thoroughly.
I think my favorite part about this movie was how thoroughly it changed my opinion of Jim Gaffigan. I have railed against his comedy for years (the whispering thing – it just makes me want to punch someone). We watch a lot of standup in my house, and I can’t ever bring myself to enjoy the bulk of his jokes. That whispered delivery just…
I can’t. But you know what? I think I really love Jim Gaffigan, the Actor. He is honestly one of the most surprising elements of this movie. I mean, Walton Goggins you know is going to be incredible because he ALWAYS IS. Walton Goggins is an amazing character actor. I want to see him in everything. But Gaffigan really holds his own here. He manages to stand toe-to-toe with a handful of seasoned and celebrated actors. I still don’t want to hear about Hot Pockets, but I’ll watch him in a movie, for sure.
Rating:
This is a heavy movie. I watched it like the day after Swallow, which I honestly don’t recommend. It felt like I was dying and the world was dying and that was as it should be. I was emotionally destroyed. But if you watch it when you’re not already fragile, Them That Follow is an incredibly good film.
Them That Follow Directed by: Britt Poulton & Dan Madison Savage US Release Date: August 2, 2019 1091 Media Rated R 98 Minutes
