Bluffs and Tall Tales

Rating: 8/10 (7 January 2016)

It's these questions that create an omnipresent atmosphere of bluffs and tall tales—heightened by, but not limited to, the slow-simmering, closed environment—where the door is literally nailed shut, and we're stuck with these characters just as much as they're stuck with each other. Unfortunately, the majority of this Western ensemble aren't terribly interesting or memorable, with even less being particularly likable. Who says you can't be hateful and decent? That said, "The Hangman" was still the most compelling and important player in regards to his unemotional sense of justice, which comes back around in one of Tarantino's bloodiest climaxes yet whilst pronouncing the film's already caffeinated screwball elements. None of that final act, however, or the film for that matter, would have been as erratic without Leigh's surprisingly delectable performance. Initially mum and marred, the actress still manages to convey a distinct arrogance whether she's spitting on Warren's letter or silently miming her own hanging. Yet, it's that aforementioned three-fourths point, aptly titled "Domergue's Got a Secret," where the film and Leigh's performance really begin to sizzle. Picking up an acoustic guitar, an unexpected, though cynically-motivated tenderness emits during a brief tune, before the actress finally unveils the latent insanity–erupting in full and foul form, and, in my books, takes the cake for best supporting actress of 2015.
FULL REVIEW HERE: indieadam.com/2016/01/07/the-hateful-eight-review-indie-adam/