Americana; filmed in 2023 but released in 2025, is a neo noir western sans the Coen Brothers. Writer/Director Tony Tost ambitiously took on a real tour de force for his first time in the big chair. He manages to acquit himself very well, despite a number of “naysayers” who accuse him of taking on too much. He is aided by a splendid cast and while the storytelling may be a tad uneven, the end result is pretty darn good.
Americana The Story
Penny Jo, a singer/songwriter who stutters wants to be the next Dolly Parton. She gets involved with a wounded veteran with a case of the shakes. The two try to get hold of a Lakota Ghost Shirt, twice stolen. We see the underbelly of the locals and reservation inhabitants who want the shirt rather badly.
Americana Main Cast
Sydney Sweeney is Penny Jo.
Paul Walter Hauser is Lefty Ledbetter.
Halsey is Mandy Starr.
Eric Dane is Dillon MacIntosh.
Gavin Maddox Bergman is Cal Starr.
Joe Adler is Fun Dave.
Zahn McClarnon is Ghost Eye.
Derek Hinkey is Hank Spears.
Christopher Kriesa is Hiram Starr.
Let’s Talk Americana
The film has a lot going for it. A great cast that plays this oddball dark comedy as straight as a string. *Kudos to young Bergman. This young actor sells his “Sitting Bull reincarnation act” brilliantly. He even makes the “Hollywood speak” for native Americans feel almost genuine. Keep an eye on this youngster., I predict he will go far.*
The story itself is a very noir tale in a very noir setting. Not unlike the 2023 film The Last Stop in Yuma County. Both films feature a diner and a heavy body count. However, Sydney Sweeney is the hero here. I defy anyone to watch her portrayal of Penny Jo and not fall in love. She imbues the vulnerable wannabe country star with enough wistful dreams and underlying talent that one cannot help but get all dewey eyed.
*The stuttering singer bit is not new. In real life; country singer Mel Tillis (b 1932 – d 2917) carved an entire career as a singer and actor. He stuttered except for when he sang. Check him out in The Cannonball Run.*
If you were not a Sweeny fan before watching this film, you will be by the closing credits.
Everyone sells their characters well. From the patriarch who rules his “Amish-like” brood with a rod of iron to the stoic disbelief of Ghost Eye, all feel pretty doggone real.
It All Works
There are a few “glitches.” As noted in the trivia section of IMDb.com; the artifact, aka; the Lakota Ghost Shirt, has a manufacturing sticker. *This may or may not be a “goof.” It seems quite probable that all the folks keen to make a fortune from the shirt just did not notice the sticker.*
DP Nigel Bluck makes the frames feel washed out and dusty. Each shot would not look out of place in an old Western oater a’ la John Ford or Budd Boetticher.
The Verdict
Americana is a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Just in quirkiness alone, the film scores higher than usual. It really does feel like a Coen Brothers type film. Fargo without the snow, or the up north accents. The film can be rented via Prime, Apple TV and other streaming channels. Check it out and see what you think. I really enjoyed it.
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