Catching Dust
Dustin Chase
West Texas is a special place, whether you are there to visit, explore, hike, or escape. Little towns like Marfa and Alpine are gateways to the vastness of Big Bend National Park. Director Stuart Gatt takes the viewer to this fascinating part of Texas where films like “No Country For Old Men,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Nocturnal Animals” made their mark. The only real failure of “Catching Dust” is using Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, to shoot the film instead of the actual location. Savvy editing by Nicolas Gaster camouflages the likely financial decision, still giving audiences a taste of the isolation and separation of West Texas. For his first full-length feature, Gatt delivers an impressive slow-burn thriller that’s as artistic and poetic as it is suspenseful.
“I need things the desert can’t give me,” Geena (Erin Moriarty)(The Boys, Captain Fantastic) says in frustration. She and her husband Clyde (Jai Courtney)(The Suicide Squad, Spartacus) have detached from society, holding up in an old trailer on the outskirts of Big Bend Country in West Texas. Clyde is vague in his reasoning as to why they are where they are. Despite his wife’s discontent, he has things under tight control with no cell service, contact with the outside world, and only a generator that provides power. The situation becomes dynamic when a wealthy New York couple drops a mobile house facing their trailer. Geena greets the couple with open arms, finally someone to talk to. However, Andy (Ryan Corr) and Amaya (Dina Shihabi) have their own reasons for choosing the lonely desert as their getaway destination.
At no point will the audience be able to predict where the story is headed.
Aurélien Marra’s cinematography skillfully reminds the viewer of both beauty and desperation in every shot. If you have visited the area before, you know Marfa is an artist’s paradise. You might accidentally stumble upon art installations, or are they just abandoned concrete blocks? The popular Prada Marfa that comes out of nowhere in Valentine, Texas, is one of the most iconic pieces. “Catching Dust” feels very much like a moving installation inspired by someone who has spent time in the area. Gatt taps into the dread and uncertainty other West Texas films have promoted as sub-themes. At no point will the audience be able to predict where the story is headed. Thematically, the narrative borrows structure from a movie like Roman Polanski’s “Carnage,” where two sets of couples from very different societal groups are forced to interact with each other.
Desert symbolism runs wild with snakes, dust, and vultures flying overhead. The performances from the cast are quite good, especially Moriarty, who gives off Renee Zellweger vibes as Geena. A filmmaker to watch, Gatt orchestrates real skill over the material. Whether directing the actors or balancing something visual with potent tension and suspense. One of its most remarkable feats is capturing our attention so early on and keeping us interested in this unraveling mystery. It is not simply an impressive first feature but one of the better films of 2024.
“Catching Dust” will be in select theaters on Aug 23rd and available on Apple TV, Prime Video, and more on Aug 23rd.
Final Thought
An enthralling film of suspense and design.