FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS -- CONTENT REVIEW: STRAW DOGS

"STRAW DOGS"
(2011) (James Marsden, Kate Bosworth) (R)

QUICK TAKE:: Suspense/Thriller: A Hollywood screenwriter and his actress wife relocate to the South and must contend with some locals who end up terrorizing them.

PLOT:

David Sumner (JAMES MARSDEN) is a Hollywood screenwriter who's writing a script about the Battle of Stalingrad and has moved with his actress wife, Amy (KATE BOSWORTH), to her hometown of Blackwater, Mississippi. Living in the old farmhouse owned by her late father, they need work done on the large barn that was damaged in a hurricane.

The crew they hire consists of Amy's high school boyfriend, Charlie (ALEXANDER SKARSGARD), and his buddies Norman (RHYS COIRO), Bic (DREW POWELL) and Chris (BILLY LUSH). They're initially nice enough in a southern sort of way, but they don't look highly on David and his big city demeanor. The same holds true for their old football coach, Tom Heddon (JAMES WOODS), who's now the town's raging alcoholic who has it out for a mentally challenged man, Jeremy Niles (DOMINIC PURCELL).

That's despite Jeremy's brother, Daniel (WALTON GOGGINS), trying to keep him out of trouble and war veteran turned town sheriff John Burke (LAZ ALONSO) trying to keep the peace. But little does Tom know that it's his teenage daughter, Janice (WILLA HOLLAND), who's putting the moves on Jeremy. As that plays out, Amy becomes increasingly irritated with David in her opinion that he's not being enough of a man in regard to what's occurring all around them, especially regarding Charlie and his crew. As that builds and eventually comes to a head, David must decide whether to continue his passivism or take matters into his own hands.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Some older teens might be interested in it, especially if they're fans of anyone in the cast.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For strong brutal violence including a sexual attack, menace, some sexual content, and pervasive language.

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