THE QUARRY
US, 2020, 98 minutes, Colour.
Shea Whigham, Michael Shannon, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Bobby Soto, Bruno Bichir, Alvaro Martinez, Jimmy Gonzales.
Directed by Scott Teems.
The Quarry is a small but intriguing drama. It also has a religious theme, an escaped prisoner taking the identity of a pastor in and taking his place in the small Texas town. (Cinemagoers may remember the Polish film, Corpus Christie, where a young worker is mistaken for the parish priest and he assumes the role with quite an effect on the congregation.)
The film opens with the pastor driving to a new parish after his sexual relationship that led to his condemnation. He gives a lift to a man on the side of the road, feeds him, stops at the quarry, confesses to him, urging the stranger also to confess. Instead, the man, revealed as a former prisoner who has escaped, police and helicopter search for him, kills him.
There is quite some drama in the small town as the alleged pastor settles in, looked after by a Hispanic housekeeper, his luggage stolen from the van, discussions with the local sheriff, his taking up the ministry, speaking by way of translated to a small congregation, congregation gradually increasing, his having to conduct a baptism in the river by immersion, officiate at a funeral…
The film has a strong cast. It is a star vehicle for character actor, Shea Whigham, as the escaped convict. Michael Shannon as the sheriff. Catalina Sandino Moreno is the housekeeper, Bobby Soto is her cousin, a drug dealer who is accused of stealing the pastors goods, along with his younger brother, then of the murder of the pastor when his skeleton is discovered. He continues to protest his innocence and blames the new pastor.
The film is a psychological study – of all of the characters and their complexities in the small town. However, it is also a story about the need to confess, to be free of guilt, and even to atone.
- The title? What happened in the quarry? The visuals of the quarry?
- A story of West Texas, the open plains, the small town, streets, homes, police precincts, the church, the quarry and the river? The musical score?
- The story of The Man, no name given, lying on the side of the road, saved by David Martin, in the truck, week, at the diner, the water, the food? David Martin and his ministry, travelling to the town? The Man in his response to the hints, the police helicopter, not telling his story? Martin telling his story, at the quarry, the confession, his misbehaviour, religious guilt, trying to persuade The Man to confess? The Man and his reaction, hitting Martin, his death? Dragging him, burying him?
- The man taking Martin’s identity, going to the town, the church, the encounter with Poco, his band being robbed? The meeting with Celia? With John?
- The Man and his decision to be the religious Minister, the Bible? Going to the church? The few people coming, not speaking English, the translation? His reading of the texts? The impact of hearing the texts? More people coming to the church? His saying he was a sinner? The response of the people? The woman wanting to be baptised, the ceremony on the river? The Man and his being able to sustain his role, the stole, the robe?
- Poco and Ramon, stealing from the van, going through the clothes, the purple flowers, the bloodstained clothes? Ramon and his suspicions? The brothers and the flight, Ramon arrested, imprisoned, bashed, his confession? Three days in prison? His complaints about The Man?
- John, memories of his father, the law, his associates, imprisonment of Ramon? Suspicions of drug deals – and Poco later with the marijuana plants? The pursuit of the brothers, imprisoning Ramon? Questions? The finding of the body, assumption of guilt, someone from across the border? John and his relationship with Celia, her being a cousin of Ramon?
- Celia, coming to Texas as a child, staying, at the church, the various ministers coming and going? Her relationship with John? Her reaction to The Man, helping him, conversations, singing the hymn?
- Ramon and the lawyer, his refusal? The judge and the travel, in court, The Man coming in his robe, the hesitation about his name, eventually saying David Martin? The proceedings, Ramon, the upset, Poco running?
- The finding of the body, decomposed, the clue of the flowers? The Man and his conducting the ceremony?
- Celia, leaving, back to Mexico, poco?
- The Man, his feelings of guilt, flashbacks to David Martin? In the boat, Ramon in the boat, his complete confession to Ramon, the death of his wife and her lover, of David Martin? Ramon killing him?
- Themes of sin, guilt, confession, atonement, forgiveness, retribution?
