Maybe 1994’s Natural Born Killers did it for us, or Quentin Tarantino’s knack for putting his characters in Western spaces, or maybe the comfort of the film’s grainy look that makes mundane, run-down towns look aesthetically pleasing.
There’s something fundamentally depressing about midwestern towns that makes you want to know more about them. Especially the characters that live in them. Watching them drive miles down a power-lined road, getting away with murder, Bonnie and Clyde style, or simply having a coming-of-age moment. (Juno, anyone?)
Whatever the case may be, it’s hard not to fall in love with them. And their– in some cases– suspenseful elements exist in an otherwise stagnant setting. Whether it’s crime thrillers like Fargo (1996) or dramas like Certain Women (2016), these movies have one thing in common: their intimate feel.
The Passenger (2023)
Johnny Berchtold and Kyle Gallner are star-crossed co-workers in this small-scale psychological thriller. Randy (Berchtold) is a troubled young man who works at a grimy fast-food joint. His co-worker, Benson (Gallner), is a quiet, unsuspecting serial killer who takes Randy on a ride through town after turning homicidal.
Rather than developing Stockholm syndrome on their road trip, like Layla in 1998’s Buffalo ’66, Benson is the savior in their dynamic. “There’s something fixable — and I believe that,” he tells pushover Randy. Ironic, given that Randy isn’t the only one perturbed by his past– and not the only one who needs “fixing.” But when Randy opens up about his childhood trauma, Benson takes it upon himself to do something about it.
Throughout the film, Benson’s mental stability continues to crack, revealing a disturbed person under that grim gaze. Randy, unable to reason with Benson, continues to be his stammering, nervous self. The duo aren’t lovers, they’re much worse: a therapy lesson to each other. The film takes co-dependency to a chilling level.
IMDb: 6.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Where to Watch: MGM+, Prime Video
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
When A24 released a queer Thelma & Louise in 2024, Kristen Stewart fans were ecstatic to see her back on the big screen as lead-actress. Katy O’Brian stars alongside Stewart as Jackie, a young bodybuilder working her way towards the bodybuilding championships in Las Vegas. And as Lou (Stewart) starts to fall for the muscled new girl, their love tale leads to murder.
Set in 1980s New Mexico, this midwestern noir is a violent and sexually graphic story about love. With Jackie’s oiled-up, bulging muscles and sometimes abnormally large stature, director Rose Glass takes masc lesbian to a whole new level. As Jackie has her she-hulk moments, Lou deals with her unhinged father, Lou. Sr., played by Ed Harris, who has criminal ties.
So what is so good about this bloody lesbian love story? Maybe it’s the supernatural elements used as a metaphor for love being larger than life. Or perhaps it’s seeing Kristen Stewart in high-waisted jeans and a mullet. But this isn’t a classic love story. It bleeds with betrayal and is pumped on steroids.
IMDb: 6.6/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Where to Watch: Max, Hulu, Prime Video
Janet Planet (2024)
Janet Planet is the epitome of a coming-of-age summer movie. It’s 1991, and single mother Janet (Julian Nicholson) has a quiet magnetism that makes people orbit around her life for a short time. We watch her character through the eyes of her 11-year-old daughter Lacey (Zoe Ziegler), whose deadpan sarcasm complements her misfit aura.
The film is shot on 16-millimeter, giving it a grainy, hazy look equivalent to a nostalgic memory. Regina, played by Sophie Okonedo, orbits around this mother-daughter bond as one of Janet’s fleeting friends. At the film’s core, the viewer understands that Janet and Lacey’s relationship is codependent within their small community.
The title, Janet Planet, is a testament to how Janet views the world around her, especially Lacey, who witnesses her mother go through unfulfilling relationships. Playwright Annie Baker writes an intimate narrative about childhood remoteness, growing up, and summertime’s sticky, lonesome days. Although it may seem the film’s plot is stagnant, each scene feels like a significant memory that, although untethered, sticks with you.
IMDb: 6.2/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Max
The Rivals of Amziah King (2025)
Written and directed by Andrew Patterson, The Rivals of Amziah is an upcoming British crime thriller starring Matthew McConaughey. He plays Amziah King, a widower, veteran beekeeper, and a charming cowboy. Though a confirmed date for the film hasn’t been released yet, critics are already praising it. After it premiered, the film was called “a blinkered narrative coupled with misty-eyed aesthetic choices.”
This Western heist also features Angelina LookingGlass as Kateri, Amziah’s estranged foster daughter. McConaughey and LookingGlass’ characters have a father-daughter dynamic cut short by the film’s second half as it shifts to a thriller. The film features Owen Teague, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, and Jake Horowitz, an ensemble cast playing Amziah’s community and folk musicians.
Among the cast is Kurt Russell, who plays a rival involved in shady business. Set in a rural setting, the film promises a gun-shooting Western and a charming narrative about family. Though McConaughey is the star, the other characters offer their own charm to this Americana film.
IMDb: 8.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Where to Watch: Coming soon
So, what’s so good about these films again..?
Some of these films might hit close to home if you live in the Midwest. But for the rest of us, there is room for glorification. And if there’s one thing that Gen Z loves to do, it is to wallow in nostalgia and romanticize whether they’ve experienced them.
Movies shot on film are easy on the eyes, making the viewer watch the story through rose-colored lenses. No matter the genre, the aesthetically pleasing grittiness of the film, blended with the quirky small-town characters, makes the film more interesting to watch. Together, the above films tap into the simplicity of small-town America and the complex characters that live in it.
The Midwest is more than just a backdrop—it’s a character. It has a personality of its own. Though ‘midwestern’ films aren’t a genre, it should be.
