Survival of the fittest. Charles Darwin's theory that only the strong make it to the break of day lies at the cynical heart of Tim Sutton's Donnybrook, which got a fresh trailer today three weeks ahead of its release. Just enough time to wrap your hands, stretch your conscience out, and get ready for the first must-see film of 2019.
Adapted from the pulpy gravel road mind of author Frank Bill, Donnybrook explores a rugged part of Indiana where a bare-knuckle tournament awards one bloody victor with $100,000. For veteran Jarhead Earl, that's not just a ticket out of town, but a new lease on life. All he has to do is sift through the corrupt town and get by the devilish clutch of Chainsaw Angus, a drug kingpin with sinister ways that usually leave adversaries cold and full of dirt.
The trailer cuts a desolate tone, opening with Earl walking into a caged off room with several other fighters enclosed, setting up to have an all out brawl. You see, this isn't the kind of tournament where two fighters get into a ring and throw punches. The entire group gets in at once and only one stands in the end. Bell's rugged yet scrappy look pales in comparison to others, but that's the point. He's a man out of time trying to make things right. As Earl's family member tells him on the river, it all comes down to how you fight at the Donnybrook.
When someone asks Earl what happens if he loses, his reply is succinct and quick: "I can't lose." The desperation in his voice fuels his desire to win. The same could be said for everyone in Sutton's world. People desperate to get to the next day, even if it means climbing on top of ten others.
Grillo's Angus walks through the trailer like the Grim Reaper of the South, killing people with guns, needles, and whatever else he can find. Angus' sister, Delia (Margaret Qualley), has sworn by him for years, even though their relationship revolves around sexual abuse, violence, and all-around slavery. Midway through the trailer, he asks Earl if she can tag along with him.
James Badge Dale's cop may wear the badge and aim to keep the peace, but he seems to be carrying a wistful ounce of contempt and reality, saying the world is one big lost soul not worth saving. He's sawing off a shotgun, and looks to be going up against Angus in one scene.
The 150 minute clip is soaked in darkness and grim pictures. Sutton seems to have taken Bill's words and championed them instead of merely recycling them. Sutton's visual palette here is similar to the one he employed in Memphis and Dark Night. The filmmaker is drawn to the land of the unfortunate beasts who yearn for survival against the worst odds.
It'll all come down to Earl and Angus going head to head, as the final 30 seconds of the trailer, tuned to the National Anthem which is sang before the brawl begins, shows Grillo's antagonist staring down Earl across the cage. A collision course marked in blood.
Say hello to the grass roots version of Fight Club. If you like graphic novels with a vengeful heart, you'll like Donnybrook. You got some No Country For Old Men vibes mixing in with Out of The Furnace flavors. Throughout it all, Sutton's film cuts its own tone. The trailer assures you of one thing: no matter who wins, no one makes it out alive.
Grillo gets to break bad in a real way, and show a side of his persona few of his fans have seen before. Angus would eat Brock Rumlow for breakfast. Along with raves about the work of the cast, the film won Best Picture at Fantastic Fest.
In life, none of us do. That's the the backbone of Bill's novel. Life is like a heart: a clinched fist covered in blood. Are you ready for the Donnybrook? I am.
If you look up Donnybrook in the dictionary, here's what it'll say: a scene of uproar and disorder.
This February, movie audiences get a full serving.
IFC Films releases the film on Feb. 15. Three weeks. Go ahead and watch the trailer.
