ThiefHott Too much of everything

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

fiddleferme Really a waste of time. Although the performances were more than decent, the pace and direction of this movie lacked suspense. I could guess the killer from the beginning and all the tedious character development not only failed to entertain; but also, added nothing to my enjoyment of the film.The last 10 minutes of dialogue did raise some interesting questions about religion and legality....otherwise....I could have done something much better with my time.I love mystery crime plots. This one, however, fails on all counts. Good performances by actors. I suspect the failure was either in the screenplay or direction. Actually, the plot is not that interesting either.Good movie to put on before you sleep or if you want to do housework...but certainly not a good viewing for mystery lovers.

hokeybutt You know, when most people hear about this movie and they find out that writer/producer/director/star Richard Dutcher is a Mormon... and that the movie has a definite Mormon agenda... they are going to be rolling their eyes and thinking, "That can't be any GOOD!" (Heck, that was my own reaction initially.) This movie is about a small Mormon town who's quiet tranquility is rocked with the seeming arrival of a serial killer in their midst. I don't even want to say anything more about the plot lest I give something away. Suffice to say that the movie is one of the best-written AND directed AND acted (with the exception of co-star Wilford Brimley, I don't think anyone is a "professional" actor) police thrillers I have seen in recent years! And no, I'm not a Mormon! Richard Dutcher has really done something unexpected here... by infusing a traditional thriller with an examination of faith... and emotion... and humanity... the movie works on all levels... topped off by a searing ending. I was really blown away by this movie (though I still have no intentions of joining the Mormon Church.)

tpendleton This is not a bad film in spite of having to endure the LDS propaganda. I suppose that having the film set in Utah among the Mormons does add something that makes it a unique mystery. What really bothered me about the film, though, was the sheriff's actions in having all the houses in Brigham searched. What was he thinking? It doesn't matter what his motives were. This was a blatant violation of the Bill of Rights (Fourth Amendment), the basis of our freedom. Poor Steve. Not only can illegal searches result in humiliation, but they can also be used to suppress opposition to those in authority. Surely, that doesn't happen in small communities in Utah.

K-Slicer How many people out there have seen the movies with this plot?: "A small town is the setting for a complicated mystery involving murder (one or multiple) and the town is forever changed because of it." It seems to me that this branch of suspense fiction is running out of ideas. Enter Richard Dutcher, accomplished independent film-maker from the Beehive State, and his latest release "Brigham City". I viewed this movie late at night and I was surprisingly riveted (easily entertained actually) to the television screen and I stuck it out.Here are my reasons (spoilers): (1) Richard Dutcher anchored this film and he easily took away the best performance. (2) Although Dutcher's writing skills doesn't have the quirkiness of Joel Coen or the humor of Kevin Smith, it does work here. Dutcher's may not be a born screenwriter but he knows his way around his own backyard and his faith. (3) The best aspects of the film were the scenes dealing with faith. Any denomination of Christianity (if they claim to be or otherwise) has the same sorts of problems in all their churches. Services can get boring and lifeless and Sunday school can feel like regular school. Dutcher's smashed that aspect out of the park. (4) I like the message that this film sends you away with and it is "even the protectors are imperfect". Dutcher's pep talk in the town square was basically an incite to undermine the Constitution of the United States. The sequence just before the end is the other real bit of evidence to back up the claim. (5) Tayva Patch had the best female role in the movie. For some reason, she was the least annoying of the bunch. (6) Despite all the red herrings this movie throws at you, I didn't suspect the real killer at the denouement. (7) It was good to see a rather sanitized movie for once. Not everyone swears like Jay Phat Buds, not everyone is a sex fiend like Prince, and not everyone is a violent freak like The Terminator. For an indy film, "Brigham City" is a light that glows in a different color. Seven reasons give a score of seven.The downers included (more spoilers) (1) Wilford Brimley. He was on the screen for less than a minute at a time and his character had no development. He basically says "HI!" and then gets popped in the head. Was he a needed asset? My guess is no. (2) Near the end, where did this sudden revelation come from about the killer? There were plenty of plot holes here to keep a movie hater busy for weeks. Finally, (3) Did this film really suffer from an acting allergy? Even Dutcher's performance felt a bit grainy at times and he was the best one of the movie. It must be a matter of perception I guess.Overall, "Brigham City" is a thoughtful entry into a rather flamed-out genre. What keeps it afloat are questions of faith it brings up and the almost solid mystery story. It doesn't take a lot of brain cells to watch this film and it isn't paced out rapidly, so you could fall asleep to it. It is definitely an interesting peek inside the Mormon way-of-life (though possibly overblown, I am not an expert) and how tragedy affects it. I got to see a side of Americana that I hadn't seen before and I don't regret seeing it. Maybe someone else might like to give it a try on that note alone. If you do, you won't be too terribly disappointed. Here ends my rant!