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It doesn’t matter how strong a business relationship may be; when family gets involved, things tend to get messy. And in The Big Ugly, two old friends and business partners from very different worlds find themselves caught in the middle of a mess in the mountains of West Virginia.
The Big Ugly travels to the mountains with mob boss Harris (Malcolm McDowell) to launder some money by investing in an oil deal with his old friend Preston (Ron Perlman). As the two groups come together to celebrate the deal, Harris’s right-hand man, Neelyn (Vinnie Jones), stirs up a little trouble and is sent away to sleep it off. But when he wakes, his girlfriend, Fiona (Lenora Crichlow), is gone. As his associates return to London, Neelyn stays behind—and his search for answers leads him to Preston’s arrogant son, Junior (Brandon Sklenar), and a whole lot of trouble.
When the clues start pointing to Junior, things get ugly for the two sides. Harris and Preston have a strong friendship—and a long history—but everything comes into question when Preston’s son is caught in the middle. Preston and his men are fully aware that Junior is trouble—that he’s arrogant and self-centered with a vicious mean streak and a penchant for fighting. But none of that matters because he’s Preston’s only son.
Neelyn, meanwhile, knows his place. He knows that his job is to follow Harris’s orders—no matter what. And he’s warned to stay away—to leave it alone—but he’s fighting for his own family, just as Preston is protecting his. And what follows is a tangled mess as the characters weigh their loyalties and partnerships as they seek retribution for what seems like an endless series of interconnected offenses.
The Big Ugly is dark and gritty—a back country crime drama that’s intriguingly messy. The characters all struggle to gauge their priorities, balancing relationships, family ties, and business relationships, knowing that their lives could depend on the choices they make. Though it does have its bar fights and a showdown or two, this isn’t necessarily an action-packed crime thriller. It’s heavier and more deliberate—and, at times, the pacing does drag a bit. But the solid cast and the characters’ twisted relationships will keep your attention.
It may not be a slick blockbuster filled with effects-driven action sequences—but this isn’t that kind of year. The Big Ugly is a darker, grittier, seedier drama—one that will keep you wondering how things can possibly work out in the end.
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