“Do you have kids, detective?” Garrett Hedlund’s embattled character asks inBarron’s Cove. TheTulsa Kingregular’s latest role is Caleb, the scruffy, violence-prone dad of a young boy he shares with an ex-wife who can’t stand him. And by the end of this crime thriller, a number of other characters can’t stand him either.
On the topic of embattled dads, let’s not forget that the whole saga of John Woo’sinsane action filmFace/Off(1997) begins with the death of a child. Writer-director Evan Ari Kelman’s debut feature begins on a similar note, and only glimpses of charm are visible for the remainder of the film’s overly lengthy 116-minute runtime. At leastFace/Offhad rowdy performances and outrageous action sequences to even out such a dreadful introductory sequence — by the end ofBarron’s Cove, all but the most hardened viewers may feel bogged down by its merciless gloom.
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Death, Lies & Cover-Ups
Barron’s Cove
As in theclassic filmStand By Me(1986), the death that kickstartsBarron’s Coveand its consistently grim events involves a locomotive —although there are other parties involved, too. That’s why troubled protagonist Caleb goes to extreme lengths — measures that are almost on par with John Travolta’s inFace/Off —to avenge his only son’s death. When Caleb and his disgruntled ex-wife Jackie (Brittany Snow) discover that their son Barron (thus the film’s title) has been the victim of a horrific train-tracks incident on the outskirts of town, Caleb embarks on a DIY mission of justice and/or revenge. Of course, the local authorities are dragging their feet, especially given that Police Chief Alberts (Marc Menchaca) is a longtime pal of questionable community fixture Lyle (Hamish Linklater, oozing sleaze).
Lyle’s mischievous adopted son Ethan (Sweet Toothstar Christian Convery) was there when Caleb’s son Barron met his demise, and his statement allowed the police to write off the case as just a depressed boy who died by suicide. Caleb doesn’t believe this in the slightest, and neither does goodhearted Detective Navarro (Raúl Castillo), who tries to keep Caleb’s fiery emotions at bay while entertaining the idea of a cover-up. Then there’s Caleb’s mafioso boss Benji (Stephen Lang, reliably menacing), whose neatly trimmed handlebar-mustache says it all about his domineering presence.
When he’s not sending Caleb on odd jobs around town, Benji serves as Caleb’s sorry excuse for a father figure. He needs Caleb to squeeze money out of partnering businesses — even if that means throwing a fist or two. When Caleb begins to crumble following Barron’s death, Benji is a little too quick to urge him to move on, even discouraging him from probing the mysterious tragedy. But just when you think Caleb is ready to throw in the towel, he instead throws Ethan into the back of his truck, kidnapping and locking away the helpless Ethan until he confesses about what really happened to Barron. Who is there to root for here? The characters are morally questionable across the board.
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Fortunately, Ethan’s kidnapping doesn’t eat up the rest of the film’s runtime.Barron’s Covemost successful twist comes when Caleb and young Ethan develop an unlikely kinship while tucked away at Caleb’s residence. Meanwhile, a manhunt and a media storm break out in town, as high-profile politician Lyle slowly reveals his true, dark colors as he loses control of Ethan’s missing-persons case. He doesn’t actually see Ethan as a beloved child, but rather as a keeper of damaging secrets that could tarnish Lyle’s name just as he’s seeking election. The villainous Lyle is a role that Linklater — last spotted inNickel Boys— can play in his sleep, but he nails it nonetheless.
Seeing how low Lyle will stoop to save face is a hoot throughoutBarron’s Cove, but the film’s dark tone simply never lets up. InManchester by the Sea(2016), for example, writer-director Kenneth Lonergan offers glimpses of Casey Affleck’s joyful past with the family that once was. WithBarron’s Cove, director Kelman often doubles down on the melancholy, which might leave viewers wondering how much more they can bear. There are brief moments of hope as Caleb finds solace in his old pal Felix (Severancestar Tramell Tillman). But although Hedlund gives it his all, you’ll hardly remember them by the time the credits roll.
Well Go USA will releaseBarron’s Covein theaters and on VOD on Friday, July 01, 2025.
