Gus Van Sant still has it. At least, that was my big takeaway after seeing his new movie Dead Man’s Wire. The flick is proof that when he leans into American desperation, he can make it feel ferocious, perverse, and uncomfortably funny all at once, which isn’t easy. Inspired by a real-life true crime event (what isn’t these days?), the film takes the 1977 hostage standoff involving Tony Kiritsis in Indianapolis and turns it into a tightly coiled, nerve-rattling yet often humorous crime thriller that never lets you forget what’s actually at stake: power, money, and who gets crushed when the system decides you’re expendable.
The premise alone will have you on the edge of your seat. After falling behind on payments, Tony Kiritsis storms into the office of a mortgage company president, straps a sawed-off shotgun to his captive’s neck using a “dead man’s wire,” and makes it clear this isn’t going to end well for anyone involved. Van Sant lets the sheer audacity of the act speak for itself. It’s outrageous in the way only real life can be, and the film wisely trusts that truth to do the heavy lifting.
The star-studded cast alone is enough to sell a ticket. Bill Skarsgård is magnetic as the manic Kiritsis, tapping into a jittery, barely contained volatility that feels less like movie madness and more like a man who truly has been beaten down and driven over the edge by financial pressure and bullied by institutions. It’s one of his best performances, raw, wired, and deeply uncomfortable. Al Pacino also shows up, bringing a fascinating weariness and icy authority, while the always cool Colman Domingo continues his streak as one of the most compelling actors working today, grounding the chaos as a narrator of sorts.
What elevates Dead Man’s Wire beyond standard true-crime fare is Van Sant’s tonal control. The film is tense and propulsive, but it’s also side-splittingly funny in unexpected moments. The dark humour never undercuts the seriousness; instead, it highlights the absurdity of corporate cruelty and the inherent greed baked into systems of power. The story is also undeniably political, but in a way that feels especially timely without ever being preachy. Dead Man’s Wire understands that desperation doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s manufactured, processed, and often profitable. Van Sant doesn’t offer easy answers or moral hand-holding, just a gripping reminder of what happens when people are pushed too far and told they have no options left.
Dark, daring, and disturbingly entertaining, Dead Man’s Wire is a true-crime thriller that actually has something to say and the nerve to say it loud.
Dead Man’s Wire is in theatres now.
