Straight from the Shoulder: When the Cabin Getaway Goes Wrong

If you're looking for a Sunday afternoon watch that doesn't demand you think too hard, Straight from the Shoulder is a strange little artifact. It’s got that 1930s briskness where things happen because the plot needs them to, not because people behave like actual humans. If you hate movies where the child character is the primary source of tension, stay away. If you like your crime dramas with a side of woodsy grandfatherly wisdom, you'll probably get a kick out of it.

The transition from the city office to the cabin is honestly jarring. One minute they're dodging bullets in a parking garage—which is filmed with all the grace of a stage play—and the next they're talking about child-sized rifles. Ralph Bellamy is always a steady presence, but he feels slightly misplaced in a movie that eventually turns into a survivalist fable. There's this odd contrast between the slick urban gangsters and the rustic home-life, like two different movies taped together.

The kid, Johnny, is a piece of work. His jealousy toward Gail is played so heavy-handed it almost becomes funny. Watching him try to sabotage his dad's romance is painful, but then the film just drops that character arc for a home invasion thriller. It’s a bold choice to have a child try to sabotage a gun by plugging the barrel with grease. I'm not sure how effective 'bullet lubricant' is in real life, but the movie really hangs its hat on this detail.

The finale is where things get genuinely goofy. The gangsters show up, and for some reason, they don't check their gear before entering the cabin. The backfire scene is pure slapstick. You see a tough guy try to take a shot, and the gun just explodes in his face. It’s so absurd that it makes you wonder if you’re still watching the same movie that started with a murder. It reminds me a bit of the pacing in The Mine with the Iron Door, where the setting ends up doing way more work than the script.

I can't say I walked away with any profound insights. It’s a thin, weird little story that isn't afraid to be silly. The way Gail suddenly becomes an expert marksman in the final act feels like it was written on a napkin five minutes before shooting. But hey, it works for the climax. If you’ve seen Tell It to the Marines, you know the type of sturdy, no-nonsense storytelling at play here, even if this one lacks the same punch.

• That parking garage set looks like it's made of cardboard.
• The grandfather character is basically a human Swiss Army knife.
• The bullet lubricant plot point is the weirdest thing I've seen all month.
• I still don't understand why the gangsters didn't just leave.

It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn't try to be. It just wants to get you to the cabin, let the kid mess up some guns, and call it a day. Sometimes, that's enough. 🤠