Blue Ruin

Dwight Evans, a down-and-out drifter, finds himself living out of his battered blue Pontiac Bonneville in Delaware, scraping by through scavenging for food and money. As fate would have it, he discovers that Wade Cleland—the man responsible for the murder of Dwight’s parents two decades prior—is about to be released from prison. Determined to confront his past, Dwight makes the journey back to his hometown in Virginia. He attempts to purchase a firearm at a local shop but instead buys a postcard, which he sends to his sister, Sam. In a desperate act, he breaks into a truck to steal a gun, only to ruin it while trying to force open its trigger lock with a crowbar.

Haunted by memories, Dwight positions himself outside the prison, keeping a close watch as the Cleland family arrives in a limousine to welcome Wade back. Following them to a local club, Dwight tracks Wade into the restroom where, fueled by years of anguish and resentment, he fatally stabs him in the temple with a knife he pilfered from the club’s kitchen earlier. In a chaotic escape, Dwight uses the same knife to slash one of the limousine’s tires, brutally cutting his hand in the process. Returning to his Bonneville, he has a moment of panic when he realizes the keys have been lost in the club, prompting him to commandeer the Clelands’ limo. To his surprise, he finds teenage William, a member of the Cleland family, still in the car. Choosing mercy, he lets William go, who hints at a shocking revelation—Wade may not have been the killer of Dwight’s parents.

After cleaning up, Dwight visits his sister, Sam, for the first time in years and confesses that he has killed Wade. While she is stunned, she also feels relief at his return. With the news of the murder not making headlines, Dwight realizes that the Clelands are likely plotting revenge without involving law enforcement. As Dwight’s car is registered to Sam’s address, she quickly flees with her daughters, leaving Dwight alone in their family home awaiting the Clelands’ response. In a turn of fate, Wade’s brothers, Teddy and Carl, arrive in Dwight’s vehicle, leading to a confrontation that ends with Dwight running over Teddy and stashing his unconscious form in the trunk. Just as Dwight thinks he can escape, Carl shoots him in the thigh with a crossbow.

In the hospital, Dwight gets his wound treated before returning to Sam’s house to regroup. He reconnects with an old high school friend, Ben Gaffney, seeking assistance and a rifle. During a tense interrogation of Teddy on Ben’s property, shocking truths are revealed: Wade was not responsible for the deaths of Dwight’s parents. The murder stemmed from a twisted affair—Dwight’s father had been having an affair with Wade’s mother, which ultimately led to tragedy. Teddy and Dwight struggle, but Teddy is shot dead by Ben before he can retaliate. Dwight ensures Ben’s safety by sabotaging his truck and heads back to wage his vendetta.

Dwight launches a determined attack on the Cleland family home, stripping it of firearms and preparing an ambush. He leaves a recorded message for the Clelands about Teddy’s demise, urging them to spare Sam. However, when he learns that they are poised to hunt Sam down, Dwight acts swiftly and kills Carl. Confronting the women of the Cleland family, he debates the morality of eliminating them as William unexpectedly arrives and fires at Dwight. In the ensuing chaos, a confrontation escalates, leading to a series of tragic events—William and Dwight discover their shared bloodline as half-brothers, while misunderstandings lead to more violence and death.

In the end, as Dwight succumbs to his injuries on the floor of the Cleland residence, he mutters about the car keys still being in his vehicle. The following day, a postcard from Virginia, detailing recent events, arrives in Sam’s mailbox, an eerie closure to the tragic events that have unfolded.

Last Updated: November 16, 2024 at 12:14