Written and directed by Stuart Gatt, as Geena decides to leave her criminal husband Clyde and their isolated Texas hideout, a couple from NY arrive. Ignoring the risks, she convinces Clyde to let them stay, a decision that leads to dangerous consequences for everyone. Starring: Jai Courtney, Erin Moriarty, Ryan Corr and Dina Shihabi.
Starting off with something that Catching Dust does really well is its combinations, and the biggest one is having this intensely intimate cast within such an expansive, isolated environment, it’s a classic recipe for success. Part of that is because the shots of the natural landscape and the cinematography are stunning. It’s easy to stay invested when there’s plenty of sweeping shots that are then intertwined with a strongly and satisfyingly tense atmosphere. Stuart Gatt kicks off the tension quickly and it doesn’t let up for the entire film.
Another part of those combinations is how things can be very clear and yet mysterious at the same time, Gatt makes us feel like we know the situation but also gives us plenty of room to question and suspect. On top of that he creates characters in Amaya (Dina Shihabi) and Andy (Ryan Corr) that are so easily dislikable, which is an advantage to any thriller. Shihabi in particular absolutely excels at being irritating and entitled, it’s superb work to get the audiences rooting for her downfall.
Whereas Jai Courtney and Erin Moriarty give us more complicated people in Clyde and Geena. They seem simple and yet as time goes on you can feel that there’s a lot more to their relationship and situation than it seems. Also, the entire story perfectly hits that note of not sticking your nose in other people’s business, because it never ends well. Although, Catching Dust might not be quite what you’re expecting because ultimately, it does feel more about peeling back the layers to the perspectives and relationships than something explosive. It’s an interesting choice but one that some people might find underwhelming.
The beauty of the landscape of Catching Dust is undeniable and would make pretty much any film worth watching but there is also plenty more to enjoy. While the resolution might not hit all the notes you’d hoped for, the performances are strong, the atmosphere is intense to say the least and the direction is solid. In the end it might feel a little bit more like a drama with a thriller edge than just a straight thriller but at the same time, there are so many of them out there, it’s nice to see Stuart Gatt do something different.
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