The Rivals of Amziah King

I can't recall the last time I saw a movie like The Rivals of Amziah King—a movie that starts out in a strong contention for my favorite of the year, then falls off a cliff. Peter Weir's The Mosquito Coast is that first one that comes to mind, when Harrison Ford's Ally Fox (I can't believe I still remember that name) goes from obsessed civilization fanatic trying to deliver ice to the heart of the jungle to impromptu pre-Die Hard John McClane, fighting terrorists to save his home.

We're all, I trust, familiar with the trope of the "magical Negro," but there used to magical Caucasians as well, in movies. Mary Poppins is a conspicuous example, Local Hero, less conspicuously so, but there are many others. There are only a few guys today who could pull it off. Keanu Reeves seems to do it in real life, as did Dolly Parton. 

One of those guys who can play the part perfectly is Matthew McConaughey. 

McConaughey plays Amziah King, local beekeeper and all around good guy. When the movie opens, he's playing with his band in a little Texas cafe, and the cops come to ask him for help. Turns out they just captured a truck chock full of stolen honey, and he's the guy who can identify whose honey it is.

This opening is so terrific—with the music, the personalities, the denouement of the investigation, which in turn leads to more characters, and interesting events—finally depositing Amziah in a coffee shop in a neighboring community where he meets Kateri (newcomer Angelina LookingGlass) who is waiting tables there.

When Kateri was young, Amziah fostered her, and he encourages her to "come home" to learn the bee business. But not just bees, music. Amziah's band plays and he coaxes the timid girl out of her shell by encouraging her to join in.

It's strong enough to where I thought I was looking at a Best Picture candidate. Then the whole thing falls off a cliff.

The focus shifts from Amziah to Kateri, and the actress cannot fill McConaughey's shoes. Very few 20-year-olds could, but the tonal shift also means that she has to mask or tamp down the appeal she demonstrated in the first part of the film. Even a heist can't bring the energy back to the starting level.

The supporting cast and characters are pitch-perfect: Scott Sheperd plays Chimmy, Amziah's mushmouthed best friend; Cole Sprouse is Oat, who plans the heist with Kateri; Owen Teague is Pirate, who provides crucial role in the heist and at other times. 

Sprouse, who, at 34, has been in a major player in 500 TV episodes from "Grace Under Fire" to "Riverdale", is such a veteran that he can be effective with a dead-eyed burned-out character like Oat, steals scenes without even trying.

And Kurt Russell plays the Big Bad. As our movie turns from fun-loving caper to ultra-violence. (Not much shown, thankfully, but much implied.)

The supporting cast has such a great devil-may-care, redneck. disdainful-of-the-law attitude that they are fun to watch. You root for them. And you root for Kateri as well, but that part just doesn't work as well.

At least it isn't a matter of being a "girl boss" or anything cheesy like that. And the story gets told. But ironically, the story loses energy as it moves away from its starting point as practically a heartwarming coming-of-age musical with a slight mystery/crime element, to a full-blown caper/heist/revenge style film.

The Boy concurred, though he was far more severe about LookingGlass, and less enamored of the music. I felt if they had leaned more into the music, we could've had another O Brother, Where Art Thou? on our hands.

Difficult to recommend. But we did hear people coming out of the theater saying "That was the greatest movie I ever saw," so there you go.