Stop me if you’ve heard this before, a college students drives through the middle of some backwoods-
Oh, that was quick.
Now, to be fair, while Rust Creek might sound like a movie you’ve seen a million times before – a young woman, Sawyer (Hermione Corfield), is trying to make her way to a job interview, but her GPS screws up, and leaves her lost in the middle of nowhere, only to be confronted and later attacked by two hicks, Hollister (Micah Hauptman) and Buck (Daniel R. Hill), forcing her into a desperate struggle for survival – it speaks to the talent of not only the cast, but the writer, Julie Lipson, and director, Jen McGowan, at how they’re able to keep things entertaining and thrilling.
There is also a tad more to the story, as once Sawyer escapes into the woods, she has to survive the elements for a while until around 40 minutes into its hour and 48 minute runtime, Lowell (Jay Paulson), appears and takes in Sawyer to his trailer where he helps her out. Thankfully, this is no Beauty and the Beast situation, or anything like that, but from that point onwards, the filmmakers begin to reveal what’s really going on, which is far more complex than the film has let on.
Lowell is the cousin of the two brothers that Sawyer met early in the film, and his trailer is used to make meth, an operation that extends to the brothers. He empathizes with Sawyer’s situation, but he is no angel, and he is hardly the kind of guy who can easily stand up to his brothers and be confrontational. This leads to what makes the film as interesting and compelling as it is, which is the way the storytelling builds on a web of different character dynamics. Be it between Sawyer and the brothers, the brothers and Lowell, Lowell and Sawyer, the brothers and the local sheriff (played by Sean O’Bryan), and even between the sheriff and the other officers.
While there is a lot being juggled here, the film keeps a good flow, and never feels overstuffed, and more importantly, it doesn’t take the focus away from Sawyer and her struggle, nor does it make her a helpless victim. During the middle chunk of the film, she has a limited amount of dialogue, given that she has to be hidden in Lowell’s trailer, but she is easily able to express her thought process and conflicts just through her face alone. The relationship that she develops Lowell is an interesting one, and manages to bring depth through seemingly mundane actions and exchanges. It probably helps that the film’s feminine perspective is coming from a female writer and director, so the small details that you experience all ring true.
It’s clear that Rust Creek is dealing with a limited budget, but sharp writing and muscular direction, along with strong performances by the entire cast, shows that if you place attention and care in all the right places, it can count for a lot. The film is a small one, but it has bigger things on its mind, and speaks to greater truths far beyond what is simply played out on screen. It’s a tense and thoughtful thriller that takes a simple setup and turns it into something far more interesting and complex. It’s the kind of thriller that doesn’t revel in disturbing violence and imagery, and instead puts its energy into crafting engaging characters. The film certainly does take its time, but it never loses focus in its look at the way women often have to navigate a dangerous world and the institutional forces that keep it as dangerous as it is.