Dead Man's Wire
Gus Van Sant turns a fascinating true crime story into an entertaining period drama.
In February 1977, 44-year-old Tony Kiritsis entered the Indianapolis headquarters of the Meridian Mortgage Company, kidnapped VP Richard Hall at gunpoint and kept him hostage in his apartment for 63 hours. It was, landowner Kiritsis asserted, not about money, but about publicising the appalling way he had been treated by the company. For his first feature in seven years, director Gus Van Sant turns this fascinating true crime story into both an entertaining period drama and an evergreen tale of ordinary men pushed into desperate acts.
Nikki Baughan, Screen Daily
Gus Van Sant (1952) worked with Roger Corman before gaining attention with the film “Mala Noche” (1995) set in the gay world. He demonstrated his ease with visual shortcuts and provocation in the many films including “My Own Private Idaho” (1991). After “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” (1994) he turned towards more conventional films, beginning with “To Die For” (1995). With “Elephant” (2003; Palme d’or at Cannes) he returned to the more personal strand in his work. In 2008, he made “Milk” which won the Academy Award for Best Actor (Sean Penn) and Best Screenplay. “Dead Man’s Wire” is van Sant’s 19. full-length feature film.
Filmography:
(Valik/Selected): Drugstore Cowboy (Apteegikauboi, 1989), My Own Private Idaho (1991), Good Will Hunting (Hea Will Hunting, 1997), Elephant (Elevant, 2003, PÖFF 2004), Last Days (Viimsed päevad, PÖFF 2005), Paranoid Park (2007), Restless (Püsimatud, PÖFF 2011), Promised Land (Tõotatud maa, 2012), Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (Ära muretse, ta ei jõua jalgsi kaugele, 2018), Dead Man's Wire (2025)