A Texas Roughneck goes to France to advocate for his daughter whose been wrongfully sent to prison for murder. This is a story that I couldn’t miss. But there was something a little familiar with the setup, as if this might be based on a true story.
True story or not, I couldn’t resist the idea of a gritty, working class, Texas man going overseas to navigate the judicial system of France. Well, having just put those words on the page makes me realize that I might be a California white collar snob.
Nevertheless, this movie does not disappoint. Bill the Roughneck is just as indelicate and awkward as you might expect. But he’s also polite and respectful, which are the qualities that make his survival possible. Bill wins over new friends, and he finds work to sustain himself while he works to prove his daughter’s innocence.
Bill does not let his lack of experience as a private investigator slow him down. He approaches his investigation with the kind of brute force that you might expect from a Roughneck. At some point you’re going to slap your forehead and cry out, “Oh no Bill, not like that!” Whatever his faults, Bill’s loyalty and determination will win you over.
Recommended, totally.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10696896/?ref_=vp_back
P.S. That story may seem familiar if you remember Amanda Knox in 2015.