Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Remember when mainstream movies came out and there could be a movie that was primarily for the adults in the room? John Sayles is a filmmaker who appeals to people who like dramas that don't talk down, and don't get into major hysterics in melodrama. This kind of approach to characters and situations that develop naturally, intrigue in a real world where, in the case of Lone Star especially, racism is institutionalized even when it isn't spoken of and history repeats itself in subtle ways, and it may not be for those expecting big action or showdowns with lots of violence. In fact one of the only misleading things about the movie is the poster, which, when I was younger passing by the tape in the store (without, ignorantly of course, looking at the back of the cover) I thought it was some oddball Texas horror movie.Maybe in its way it is sort of a horror movie, but more about the terror of secrets meant to be buried like the skull and badge of the long-gone Sheriff Wade (Kris Kristofferson) who we see in flashbacks as a mean SOB s***-kicker who didn't take no guff from no one, whether it was his fellow officer (Matthew McConaughey in a small but great role), or a black or a Mexican. It's in this backdrop that the present-day story unfolds as a mix of murder mystery, political scandal and gladhanding, military hiccups, immigration, and interracial romance, with Chris Cooper as the sheriff in present day finding out thing after thing that makes him more disillusioned.It's easy to say the message of the movie, if it has one, can boil down to "It's all BS and it's bad for ya," but what is so engrossing about Lone Star is how Sayles depicts these people as trying to be good as they can be (the ones we're meant to see as good anyway), and that they have to navigate a lifetime full of discrimination and being apart and being told what to do, whether it's someone who is black or Mexican or a white person trying to be with a Mexican (that too, in its way, is a form of racism). The wounds are so deep that we might as well be skeletons rotting in the sun and it will take a long time, long after those reading this review are gone, to heal.But the good people of this story, or trying to be good anyway also comes down to point of view, which I found fascinating. I liked very much the scene where the younger black woman soldier is in front of the Colonel played by Joe Morton and she's in real trouble over drugs being found in her test. But there's this dialog between them in this scene that breaks down about why they're even in the military, or what they think they're doing there. It's a supporting plot line and yet it's not padding, it's not something unnecessary, it like many other scenes that show how characters act and react to the world around them can't help but be shaped by the place they're in - Good ol' Boy land Texas - and how they navigate through being a minority in this place.Acting across the board is solid (even Frances McDormand, who I almost forgot was in the movie by the time she shows up, gets a scene stealer of a performance to give), and the writing is sharp and trusting of its audience that if it takes its time the rewards will be gradual and satisfying. It's got deep messages about how American life, Mexican life too, functions throughout history, with the "Native Americans" also in the background, but it still functions as entertaining drama that gives every character more than a few moments to feel alive and developed. It's assured filmmaking that we don't get to see much at a studio level anymore.

John Sayles is regarded as one of the best independent film-makers about and Lone Star is a film of a man in full throttle. Its a set of interwoven stories set in two time periods as Chris Cooper a border town sheriff who has returned to his home town where his father was a legendary Sheriff investigates a 40 year old murder that may have been committed by his own father. He also rekindles a romance with a childhood, Hispanic sweetheart that his father was very much against at the time.The film is foremost a murder mystery but also deals with issues of police corruption, illegal immigration, justice, politics and racism. Sayles was rightly nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay.Chris Cooper holds the film as the dogged sheriff. Kriss Kristofferson and Matthew McConaughey make effective cameos in flashback scenes. There is a strange cameo from Frances McDormand as Cooper's ex-wife who is dealing with mental health issues which probably led to their divorce.The film is thoughtful, provocative and requires attention. Its not a slam bang or a slow burner. Many multiple stories come together as the past comes to haunt the present and relationships are made clearer.

I have seen three movies of John Sayles now with this one. For me Sayles definitely works better as a writer than a director. As a writer he knows what he wants , but as a director he fails to deliver it. I get what the movie is about , I understand it and I appreciate it. The problem is that the movie feels much like a long episode of some TV drama. It's not really a cinematic experience , the pacing could be better and the movie lacks style. I wasn't involved emotionally in the whole story for one moment. As a director Sayles kinda fails to put some meaning into the story , to make it something that will stay with you long after the movie is gone. Maybe he should allow somebody else to direct his screenplays ? It doesn't mean that I wasted my time on this one. The mystery about the past of our hero's father kept me interested. "Lone star" is a good drama about conflict between a child and it's parent , which appears here three times (Sam , Pilar and Delmore Payne – they all in conflict with one of their parents). The movie also quite well portrays the tension between the citizens of the city – white , black , Latin . The portrayal here seems very realistic and doesn't take any sides. It's fair look at the serious problem and allows you to make your own opinion.The acting is solid , especially Kris Kristofferson as the evil sheriff. The characters are likable. The screenplay has it's share of good humor and some nice twists near the end.The movie with a better direction and 30 minutes shorter (some subplots don't seem that necessary) could be a really great one. Still , it's a good movie. I give it 7/10.

Lone Star is written and directed by John Sayles. It stars Chris Cooper, Joe Morton, Stephen J. Lang, Stephen Mendillo, Elizabeth Peña and Kris Kristofferson. Music is scored by Mason Daring and cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh.The small Texas town of Rio County is rocked when a human skeleton is found in the sand and a Rio County Sheriff's badge found near by. The evidence points to it being the body of one time Sheriff Charlie Wade, a vile man who bullied the town for gratification and who one day just disappeared. Current Sheriff Sam Deeds begins investigating, knowing full well that there's a good chance the murderer could have be his own father, Buddy, who was known to have stood up to Wade with some hostile conviction.A hugely enjoyable pulpy mystery that's given a cunning make over by the talented Sayles. The who done it question at the film's core is merely one ingredient in this particular stew, this deals in themes such as violence, racism and family strife, the impact of lawmen on one small town, spread out across two generations. All the characters are interesting and well delineated, the dialogue as part of a non-linear narrative is precise and telling, while Sayles proves to be a stylistic craftsman by presenting two scenes 40 years apart within the same shot. A morality tale of some substance, with cast performances to match, it's a film sure to reward more with each viewing. 8/10