ErstwhileSpecialForcesoperativeDocAlexanderisaskedtobrokeratrucewiththeMexicandrugcartelinsecrecy.WhenOklahomaGovernorRichardJeffscelebratestheexecutionofahigh-rankingcartelmemberonTV,hisChiefofStaffandDocinformhimaboutthepeacehejustended.Butit’stoolate,asCuco,thecartel’shatchetman,hassethisvengefulsightsonDoc’sdaughterDixieccc
(👆) Theydon’tmake’emlikeLittleDixieanymore:honedtothebone,allgesturesandactions,onlyafewwords.Toomanygenrefilmsthesedaystrytocreatemeaningbypilingideasandintentionsontheirnarrativeframes.JohnSwab,asalways,workstheotherwayaround.Meaninganddepthcomefromtakingawaywhateverissuperfluous–byreducingtheplottoitsbareessenceandthecharacterstotheircoretradesandtricks.
Ultimately,LittleDixiefeelslikethepulpfictionversionofaGiacomettisculpture,allfearfulsymmetriesandmirrorimages.Agemofcrimecinemaatitspurestandmostphilosophical,proudlyfeaturingnoir’snewdarling,FrankGrillo.