Holler (2020) User Reviews (21)

finding a way out

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 11 June 2021]

Greetings again from the darkness. Life in the Midwest rustbelt is often portrayed in movies, but rarely with the authenticity displayed in the first feature film from writer-director Nicole Riegel. These are hard-working folks who maintain hope and keep pushing through the challenges brought on by the collapse of the factory world that left generations in its wake. It's a spinoff of Ms. Riegel's own 2015 short film of the same name, and the story is inspired by her own upbringing in Ohio.

Jessica Barden stars as Ruth, a very bright high school senior who is struggling along with her dropout older brother Blaze (Gus Halper) to make ends meet while mom (Pamela Adlon, the voice of Bobby on "King of the Hill") is in jail due to opioids. Dad is out of the picture. As smart as she is, Ruth is teetering on the line of graduation since she misses so much school time while hustling the streets with her brother looking for aluminum cans to redeem, or any other way to make a few bucks. Despite their lack of funds, Blaze submitted a college application for Ruth without her knowing, and now that she's been accepted, money becomes the focus.

Desperation leads to poor decisions, and soon Ruth and Blaze are working for Hark (Austin Amelio, "The Walking Dead") the owner of a local metal scrap yard. At night, brother and sister join the crew for illegal scrapping at closed factories. It's dangerous work, but the pay is good. The dynamic between older brother Blaze and younger sister Ruth is interesting. He realizes his future looks something like what he's doing now - scratching and clawing for everything. But he sees that Ruth has a path to a brighter future and he strives to keep her focused on that.

Family is key here, and Ruth struggles with how best to deal with her mother. It takes Aunt Linda (Becky Ann Baker, A SIMPLE PLAN, 1998) to explain how Ruth's mother is a victim of the medical profession over-prescribing the pain killers that caused the downfall. In a town that's slowly dying (plants closing), and folks fighting to stay out of poverty, this situation is all too common.

Jessica Barden is memorable from her turn as the friend in HANNA (2011) and from THE END OF THE F***ING WORLD (2017), but this could be a star-making role for her. She is outstanding in much the way Jennifer Lawrence was in WINTER'S BONE (2010), although this movie isn't quite at that level. It's a star turn for Ms. Barden and an impressive debut for director Riegel, who shot in 16mm film - a rarity for indie films. The story and characters are never quite as bleak as what we expect, though the ending is a bit too predictable ... and we are happy for it. You might want to see this one if for no other reason than it's a likely career turning point for both Jessica Barden and Nicole Riegel.

OPENS IN SELECT THEATERS AND ON DEMAND/DIGITAL ON FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021.

Real thing

[ks-60500 · 5/10 · 15 July 2021]

Depressing topic but just right for everything and so real and good drama and leading actress just awesome ! Nothing huge about this movie but just got its charm.

Tolerably Decent

[thefinalword · 6/10 · 10 June 2021]

A film about a young girl living in a town with few opportunities. Just to get by she has to help her brother steal trash that they go through for scrap metal. Which seems to be the only way of making any money in the town. This is probably the story of so many small towns in America. Manufacturing has definitely led to a dead end despite it's seemingly infinite promise throughout the 50s - the 2000s. The industry of industry is dying out. Jobs are sold to other countries because of globalization. Eventually they too will be writing stories like this one when capitalistic manufacturing reaches the end of it's road. Some other countries are just now experiencing their capitalist boom.

It tells the story of so many people these days. Poor. Addicted. Downtrodden. All of the actors did a fantastic job. There were a few parts that stuck out to me so the movie is "salvageable." I learned a little bit about what scrapping actually means and the film did a good job of metaphorically telling the tale of people who barely get by and must turn to the scraps.

One or two lines really stuck out for me and I wouldn't really call them spoilers but I'd love to share them: ("Talking to the guys in this town is all the birth control I'll ever need.")

("You'd scrap anything." ..."Yeah, so would you.") That was my favorite moment of the film.

Ignorant about money for school.

[zeberdog · 7/10 · 10 June 2021]

This was a good movie. Coming from a holler West Virginia, it can be very hard to stay here and have a good job, especially if you live very far out, but I live very close to the Capitol. I don't understand why they keep making movies that seem to be written by people who are ignorant about the college system. You don't have to save for college, they're obviously it's a great idea and goal, but there is a lot of help especially if you come from a poor background, and there are always loans. I understand them wanting to paint a picture of a struggling young lady wanting to better herself, but please make it more realistic and uplifting to those who could better themselves who may watch this movie and assume that it's impossible.

Riveting and depressing at the same time

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 14 June 2021]

As "Holler" (2020 release; 90 min.) opens, a teenage girl is running away with two large bags of empty cans. We soon learn that she is Ruth, a high school student in rural southeastern Ohio. She and her brother Blaze are barely getting by, delivering scrap metal to the local scrap yard. Their mom is serving time in the Jackson County jail on unspecified drug charges. On top of all that, the house where Ruth and Blaze are staying at has no running water and several eviction notices... At this point we are 10 min. Into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the feature-length debut of writer-producer-director Nicole Riegel, adapting her 2016 short film of the same name into a feature length. The story is as familiar as it is depressing: working class people in the Midwest who are barely getting by and are literally hanging on by a thread, both economically, socially and emotionally. The difference with this film, as opposed to, say the god-awful 2020 film adaptation of "Hillbilly Elegy", is that you pretty quickly are invested in these characters, in particular Ruth and Blaze, fighting astronomical odds to make it through. A movie like this wouldn't be complete without a Trump reference, and he appears in several TV clips, talking about how he, and only he, can turn this around. Except of course that once in office, he didn't lift a finger for people like the Ruth and Blaze characters and absolutely nothing changed during his term in office. Politics aside, this movie is indeed riveting and depressing at the same time. The no-name cast performs admirably, in particular British actress Jessica Barden in the lead role of Ruth. We surely have not seen the last of her.

"Holler" was supposed to premiere at the 2020 SXSW festival, yes almost a year and a half ago. But then a little thing called COVID-19 changed the world. The movie finally received a low-profile select theater release this past weekend. The Sunday early evening screening where I saw this at in my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, was attended poorly: exactly 3 people, including myself. To be honest, I cannot see this playing much longer in theaters. For that the movie is too bleak and too depressing, if riveting. If you have any interest in watching a tough movie about hoe people deal with economic depression, I'd readily suggest you check it out, be it in a theater (if you still can), on Amazon Instant Video or another streaming service, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

A great movie without anykind of action.

[Shayankhan-7526 · 6/10 · 1 October 2021]

Literally it was the best one for its story. I was so much connected with the story that I dont ever wanna see its end. There were no twists no action no nothing just a beautiful story awesome dialogues and perfect acting makes it a fabulous film. This movie is someone who have patience and love to watch story based films. By the way I dont like ending so much,I was thinking that there should be something bad with that owner of scrap. But it was nothing like that,yeah but who cares still a good ending.

looking for more

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 6 February 2023]

Ruth Avery (Jessica Barden) is a teenager living in a dying industrial American town. With her older brother, they steal recyclables to sell to a junkyard owned by Hark. Their home is under eviction threat. Their mother Rhonda is in jail and struggling to find rehab. She herself is struggling to graduate from high school since she keeps skipping to go work. She gets an opportunity to attend college, but there are overwhelming hurdles.

This movie paints a compelling picture of a place and a social class. It sets up for a compelling story. Although this story misses some opportunities for greater drama. I'm just looking for a bigger story. I actually thought the brother was the one killed during the incident. That would have been dramatic. Jessica Barden is great, but she is getting a little too old to play a teenager. All in all, this sets up for something good, but the potential is not fully realized.

Ohio Stand Up.... Just Not For This Movie!!

[d_penn · 1/10 · 21 February 2022]

From start to finish extremely boring. I see a lot of people giving kudos to the director but unfortunately I didn't see anything worth while. Seemed like they were trying to go somewhere but it stood still for 90 mins. I wish I didn't waste 90 mins of my life on this.

tried to rate 2, imdb won't let me!

[curtispeace · 3/10 · 10 June 2021]

This movie is so boring and uneventful and amateurish that yes it'd be more entertaining to watch paint dry.

This was my life.

[petrus66-439-220589 · 9/10 · 27 February 2022]

I lived this story in the Rustbelt of Ohio. Dad wouldn't pay for college because he didn't believe God wanted girls to be educated. Discovered Early Admissions to the local college but never knew I could've gone anywhere else. Worked for 18 years bartending and waiting tables to finally get my Ph. D. This movie is authentic.

Movie goes nowhere

[markfromhudson · 1/10 · 11 January 2022]

I was waiting for something, anything to make this story go somewhere. Typical 2020 movie where they are trying to find themselves. This movie was garbage. Total waste of time. BTW No Spoiler since their was nothing to spoil. Don't waste 90 minutes of your life.

Old Dwighty Boy must be hard up for cash 🤣

[duckboy-94171 · 1/10 · 24 June 2021]

Why on earth do people allow movies like this to be made ?!?!? Garbage like these Z budget movies are a waste of time money & brain cells. What Dwight should do is eat a hamburger because he looks like a crack head with Aids.

thank you nicole riegel...

[ops-52535 · 9/10 · 9 June 2021]

For making yet another good drama about the dark and dreary shadowlives of american poverty, in the year of the lord 2021. And thanks to the casting crew that has made a marvellous job finding the keyactors to this film, heir heir...

do i sound like an insider or related to the production crew, you might feel so but no, im just a grumpy old man living in norway, drowning myself into yet another pure drama of american socialrealism in situ. Its a film thats so utterly depressing, and so detailed on every spot that youll forget time and place, and with acting far over the limit of expectations, top notch musical soundtrack, and looking upon all the striving people that pays with a broken back and cut away fingers to buy a buck for one and a half because the 1 percenters decides what the price is anyway, and what shall the people of the heartland united states lean on when the corner stone factory disappears to make a nickel and a dime extra when outsourcing abroad, often moving machinery and infrastructure with it, and just leaving the skelletons back of an era that used to be good and proudly spoken of , just not where you and you live.

Its also a film about a teenagers opportunity to enter the litterates of a higher education that has become such a class diviser in the american society. The film example about scrapyarding and eventual looting valuable metal from elsewhere in the dark hours of the diurnal clock, just to survive and try to hold together and put aside money to afford the giant leap for mankind that college/university is. Call me a socialist and i may approve, but im far more reflected than that and may be quite goppy too, but thats far too advanced to elaborate for a man that hasnt got english as birth language...

but this is yet another must see film from the ''slumdistricts'' of USA, its darn realistic, its top notch acting, and just as repressive and depressive as you like it to be. Its not a rollercoaster of action, no, its just pure sensible drama, that the onepercenters deny and defy, even though its adressed to the all with capital letters. Poverty isnt the end my friend, its just a hurdle to climb across on your way to wisdome and freedome... a well made film at all levels, hereby recommended.

Powerful and Poignant

[clg238 · 9/10 · 23 September 2021]

This is a very powerful movie that captures the underbelly of today's America. There is no doubt that while fictional, the movie portrays real working people, real situations, a morass that too few people escape. The acting by all the major characters is perfect. My only quibble is the darkness (by which I mean lighting) of too many scenes--it can be oppressive, which I'm sure was intended, because the characters are oppressed.

Fine entertainment!

[gdalesmith · 8/10 · 4 July 2021]

If you haven't seen the movie yet, please do so before reading this review, as it might have a negative impact on your experience.

Given the gritty premise and setting, Holler could easily have been a boring movie. It certainly wasn't, in large part because of top notch acting by everyone in it. Not only were the characters believable, but there was a hard-to-define 'energy' in the way they delivered their lines which, let us remember, probably had to be repeated multiple times in retakes. Kudos to the director as well, for getting such great performances from the cast. The script's writer is especially to be commended for emphasizing the terrible impact of American jobs being offshored. Generally this subject is ignored by Hollywood's movers and shakers.

The plot development was comfortably linear and predictable, up to a point - that point being the ending. Just didn't work for me. Ruth's action is completely out of character with everything she's done and said and been said about her throughout the movie.

Jessica is Great

[johncash-18653 · 8/10 · 17 June 2021]

I enjoyed this. A very powerful performance from Jessica Barden!

Absolutely unmissable

[carlos-pires · 8/10 · 29 June 2021]

I can't believe this didn't get any prizes. This is one of the best movies of the 21st century. Raw, definitely, but masterfully done. Great job from all departments, from the sound editing that at times manages to have two different actions rolling at the same time, to the amazing job of the lead actress, to all the supporting cast, production design, locations, etc. It's not easy to pull this off. A read one review that billed this as "amateurish"! WTF? Just try to do it yourself, buddy. We'll see who's the amateur.

If you're coming into this movie expecting to see Fast & Furious action sequences, then you are most likely brain damaged and you have no business writing movie reviews for anyone else other than your neurologists.

Jessica Barden

[mlazerman · 8/10 · 17 June 2021]

Really poignant film that got to me. Was not expecting it AT ALL. Jessica Barden is great.

Well done authentic storytelling and acting

[wotnotb · 9/10 · 2 January 2022]

This is a wonderful, sensitive, and poignant film about personal hardships in the manufacturing center of an Ohio town. The acting is superb and the personal struggles are real. Some reviewers felt disappointed that there was no action, and although there was some tension in parts, there needn't be action to make a great movie. This drama is simply not conducive to action since a mellow and bleak tone, one of hopelessness, pervades the film which aligns with the theme. Although Ruth talks about going to college and getting out of the never ending cycle of downtrodden existence her crack mom and guardian older brother experience, as well as others in the community, she realizes the difficulty of breaking away. She and her brother tried to support themselves collecting scrap metal from abandoned manufacturing plants for a hardnosed scrap metal business owner who undercuts the value of what they bring in. Given all that Ruth proclaimed throughout the movie, about the importance of her getting out from under by going to college, the ending was quite disappointing. It seemed like the director was thinking that there was enough of this film made and suddenly thought it was time to end it. At that point, Ruth's emotional ties to her brother overtake her college aspirations and it appears she remains stuck in the same kind of dying manufacturing town life. I can only hope it would be temporary.

The one problem I felt that was particularly bothersome because it lacked authenticity, was that Ruth and her brother talk about how the cost of going to college was essentially prohibitive since they were so poor. That was the only unreal aspect of this film since someone as smart and poor as Ruth was, would not have a problem with cost of going to college.

Great Movie

[svader · 9/10 · 26 June 2021]

Well done Nicole Riegel. A great film showing the pain of the people in a depressed and diminishing community. Strong acting by Jessica Barden and all supporting actors.

The movie has an edge to it which makes it feel all so real.

Escellent.

this is a gorgeous movie

[recepvesek · 10/10 · 31 January 2022]

There is nothing wrong with this film. Acting is top notch. Plot is so believable . This is the real struggle of everyday people. Ruth is exceptional. I have had to chuckle when she said "talking to guys in this town is all the birth control i need" ... how witty can you get ???

IFC at its best...