The Last Stop in Yuma County (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – While awaiting the next fuel truck at a middle-of-nowhere Arizona rest stop, a traveling young knife salesman is thrust into a high-stakes hostage situation by the arrival of two similarly stranded bank robbers with no qualms about using cruelty—or cold, hard steel—to protect their bloodstained, ill-begotten fortune.

My Take – I generally enjoy single-setting thrillers, particularly those ones were we are introduced to a set of both likable and unlikable one-dimensional characters, who suddenly find themselves in a complex, tense and unsolvable situation, where every decision they make would end up in certain death.

The same is the case of this debut feature from editor-writer-director Francis Galluppi who comes right out of the gate and uses one location, a truck stop where everyone’s waiting for a tanker truck to fill up the gas pumps, and sets the tension on high and just lets everything slowly boil.

Clearly (and positively) inspired by the works of filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers, with its usual rag-tag of misfits, some nice dashes of humor along the way and some good menacing villains that are not to be messed with, this one is indeed a gripping indie crime thriller that immediately grabs your attention and steadily intensifies throughout.

Yes, the film has flaws, as it could have used writing as sharp as its direction, and is never quite able to take a step up and reach that next level to make it something truly great, yet, right from its tantalizing framing and camerawork to its poised, anxiety-laced pacing, and tone, director Francis Galluppi‘s self-assurance never wavers as he weaves together elements of dark humor, pathos, and suspense to create a tapestry that is both intricate and engaging.

You can see why this first-time feature director has been selected to helm the next Evil Dead installment.

The story follows a young knife salesman (Jim Cummings), who finds himself stranded at a remote gas station situated on a hot, dusty, windswept Arizona desert, who while on his way to celebrate his daughter’s birthday, learns from proprietor Vernon (Faizon Love) that the pumps are dry, the next filing spot is 100 miles away, and the refueling truck won’t be around until later in the day.

Though he initially plans to spend time listening to radio in his car, he ends up taking a seat in a booth in the adjoining diner after watching waitress Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue) get dropped off at the eating establishment by her sheriff husband Charlie (Michael Abbott Jr.).

However, tensions begin to escalate when Beau (Richard Brake) and Travis (Nicholas Logan), two individuals who reveal themselves to be the perpetrators of a recent bank robbery, enter the diner. Entangling the knife salesman and Charlotte in a tense hostage situation, their lives suddenly at risk. With the intensity only ramping up as additional motorists join the quartet in the diner, all of them annoyed by the refueling delay and the broken air conditioner that’s turned the restaurant into a sauna.

First, it’s an older couple Robert (Gene Jones) and Earline (Robin Bartlett), then a young police deputy Gavin (Connor Paolo), and finally a Native American local Pete (Jon Proudstar) and a pair of young drifters, Miles (Ryan Masson) and Sybil (Sierra McCormick), who dream of the outlaw life and are aware that the bank robbers are in the place.

Indeed, Galluppi’s script is a methodical ticking time bomb, winding up its various characters and waiting for them to blow. But, he wisely postpones fireworks for as long as possible, to maximize both the proceedings’ edge-of-your-seat suspense and the jarring thrill of his payoff.

Conveying much through quick cutaways to key details, close-ups of his actors’ expressive faces, and compositions that lay out the geography of his setting and those who inhabit it. The film also blends unconventional humor in tense situations, such as a waitress doing mundane tasks that add even more sense of dread.

The eclectic cast of characters, each with their reasons to be there, converge inside the diner, and the anticipation peaks during a captivating montage set to the classic song “Crying” by Rory Orbison. It helps that the cinematography is a visual treat, capturing the stark beauty of the desert and the claustrophobic intimacy of the diner with equal aplomb.

The single location setting is richly textured, with production designer Charlie Textor ensuring the rest stop has as much personality as the elite group stuck there. The vibrant color grading further enriches the production value. The retro style pays homage to the gritty crime thrillers of the 70s, providing a nostalgic touch that enhances the overall visual appeal and atmosphere.

Sure, although, the film is mostly engaging and well-executed, there are a few spots where the pacing stumbles and the focus wavers, particularly in the final act which pushes the limits of plausibility. The aftermath unfolds into a string of borderline absurd moments, prompting several reactions of disbelief.

These improbable and unfortunate events continue to pile on for the knife salesman whose action turn suddenly unacceptable. Mainly as the character isn’t fully fleshed out, so the sequential choices he makes until the end of the film make little sense.

Nevertheless, Jim Cummings manages to deliver an earnest performance, proving why he has become a darling for Indie cinema. Jocelin Donahue bring depth and authenticity to the high-stakes drama, while Faizon Love, Michael Abbott Jr., Gene Jones, Sierra McCormick, Connor Paolo, Ryan Masson, Robin Bartlett, Jon Proudstar and Barbara Crampton make for a strong ensemble who ensures that every moment of the film feels urgent and genuine.

However, it is Richard Brake and Nicholas Logan who steal the show. Brake is reliable as ever in the coolly authoritative villain role and wastes no energy or dialog. He’s a menacing presence in every scene inside the diner. While Logan, as his loose cannon younger brother, creates tension and relieves it comically in equal measure. On the whole, ‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’ is an engaging and memorable crime thriller especially for those who appreciate tightly wound narratives.