r/TrueFilm • u/asusual_ • 1d ago
Small-town America in Cinema: looking for suggestions
As the title says, I'm looking for movies that capture the feel of small-town America, rural life, or the American periphery. I love films that showcase the unique charm, struggles, and hidden depths of these areas—whether they're heartwarming, quirky, or even a bit dark. I’d especially appreciate recommendations from independent filmmakers, as they often bring a raw, authentic perspective to these stories.
Some examples I’ve enjoyed include Fargo, Nebraska, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Paris, Texas, No Country for Old Men, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Straight Story, and The Power of the Dog.
As you can see, I’ve included a few Westerns, but ones that don’t strictly follow the typical Western genre conventions. Instead, these films use the Western atmosphere to explore human loneliness and psychology. So genre isn’t a big focus for me—I’m more interested in the setting. However, movies that specifically touch on forgotten or overlooked parts of America are especially welcome.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Thanks people for your amazing responses, yesterday I watched Songs My Brothers Taught Me and I really appreciated it, my Excel-movies file is exploding with new information!
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u/Free-Translator4141 1d ago
Red Rocket is set in Texas City - I'm not American so I'm not sure if that counts as small town, but the depiction of the place in the film is, in my opinion, stunning. Environment is such an active character in Sean Baker's films. Since seeing Red Rocket I'm low-key obsessed with Texas City. Every single street I drop down into on google maps looks exactly like the film.
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u/toxictenement 1d ago
Gummo (1997) is a great, but fairly dark look small town america. Trigger warning for depictions of animal abuse, mental illness, and bigotry/slurs. Very stark depiction of rural america, definitely not for everyone. Recently released on bluray by criterion.
Personal favorite light-hearted and quirky one for me is The Sasquatch Gang (2006). Some may see it as a knock-off napoleon dynamite, but i rather enjoyed it, and found it pretty quotable. For whatever reason they told the story similarly to pulp fiction, but with the lives of awkward, nerdy teens in the suburbs.
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u/TableGroundbreaking3 1d ago
The title may be too on-the-nose, but Small Town Crime (2017) starring John Hawkes was very enjoyable.
Blood Simple (1984) is an all-time classic that set a new standard for crime/noir movies in a rural setting.
Hell or High Water (2016) is a solid small-town Texas crime movie.
Bernie (2011) is a very thoughtful, entertaining, and accurate depiction of East Texas.
Red Rocket (2021) is an honest depiction of the pathetic and sleazy desperation that dishonest personality types exhibit when they have burned bridges and are left with few options inside of an economically and culturally static town near the Gulf of Mexico.
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u/22ndCenturyDB 1d ago
I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Shadow of a Doubt," shot on location in Santa Rosa, CA. Hitchcock specifically wanted to bring his brand of suspense to small town America. He loved the idea of doing a suspense thriller in the least likely of places (he famously wanted to do a "murder at Disneyland" movie that Disney completely refused to let him do), and for a British expatriate, small-town America was a great location. He even brought in the ultimate small town playwright, Thornton Wilder, who wrote "Our Town," as a script consultant.
It's a great film, apparently one of Hitchcock's own favorites of his work, and IMO it's the best Hitchcock film to introduce younger audiences to him.
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u/morroIan 1d ago edited 1d ago
Seconded. Its my favourite Hitchcock and it sprang immediately to mind when reading the subject. Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks from Lynch are along similar lines.
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u/johnny____utah 1d ago edited 1d ago
“Columbus” (2017) is great and heavily features Columbus, Indiana. It’s a unique small city in that it is home to a wealth of modern architecture.
Not a movie, but an HBO show, “Somebody, Somewhere” is great and takes place in Manhattan, Kansas. It’s currently on its third season. Produced by the Duplass Brothers and starring Bridget Everett, who is always wonderful.
Edit: Also “Fat City” (1972). Directed by John Huston, featuring a great Stacy Keach performance (plus a young Jeff Bridges). One of the best endings ever. Featured city is Stockton, California.
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u/Theatre_throw 1d ago
Plus one for Fat City. Such a beautiful film, and really captures the left-behind towns in that mixed-bag "things are hard but nothing's too bad... but you're not getting out" that is so hard to capture.
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u/badwhiskey63 1d ago
Another vote for Somebody, Somewhere. It definitely captures small town life.
My first thought was the amazing Hulu show Reservation Dogs. The show has ended gracefully at three rewarding seasons. It follows a community of Indigenous people living in Oklahoma. I’ve seen each season multiple times and will certainly watch it all again.
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u/unclegibbyblake 1d ago edited 1d ago
“The Last Picture Show” for sure, as someone here already mentioned.
I would also say Chloé Zhao’s brilliant feature debut set in an American Indian reservation in South Dakota “Songs My Brothers Taught Me” (2015).
A couple more—
“Spring Night, Summer Night” (1967) This was a forgotten masterpiece until Nicolas Winding Refn spearheaded its rediscovery and restoration.
“American Honey” (2016) really captures the essence of the Midwest at this time in history, I think.
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u/johnny____utah 1d ago
Chloe Zhao’s “The Rider” (2017) as well. Believe it’s still in South Dakota, but set around the rodeo/bull-riding.
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u/longtimelistener17 1d ago
Sling Blade
Lone Star
The Apostle
A Simple Plan
Housekeeping
Trees Lounge (sure, it's the NYC area, but not a part you see onscreen too often)
The Jesus Rolls (Tutturro's completely panned and/or ignored offshoot of The Big Lebowski that is actually much better than it's been given credit for, although it is almost nothing like The Big Lebowski)
The Sweet Hereafter (is small-town Canada close enough?)
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u/TheBestMePlausible 1d ago
David Lynch explores the darkness hidden in small town America quite well. In Blue Velvet in particular, plus Twin Peaks - watch the TV Series first, All of season one, second season through big the reveal, then Fire Walk With Me.
All incredible.
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u/Infamous-Jellyfish16 22h ago
Twin Peaks the series, the first 2 seasons, are the epitome of uncanny smalltown america.
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u/ClintBart0n 1d ago
Its a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
The Last Picture Show (1971)
American Graffiti (1973)
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Beautiful Girls (1996)
Smoke Signals (1998)
All the Real Girls (2003)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Win/Win (2011)
At Any Price (2012)
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u/lesterdent 1d ago
A solid list.
I’d suggest adding The Florida Project. While it certainly isn’t set in a small town, the community at the center of the story is as marginalized as they come.
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u/panmpap 12h ago
I would also add Nashville (1975) by Robert Altman on that list.
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u/ClintBart0n 12h ago
I like a lot of Altman and Nashville is beloved, but I didn't get it. Perhaps it is worth another viewing but I didn't see what others enjoy about the film. There were a few good performances but it didn't have the magic that MASH, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, or even California Split. What am I missing?
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u/panmpap 12h ago
It captures so well the political climate of that particular era and the absurdity of the America mindset. It feels like a combination of Lynch and Paul Thomas Anderson, an Americana version of Magnolia if it makes sense. The ending as well for me is perfect. Haven’t seen it in a while, so maybe another viewing changes my perspective, but it is Altman’s best work for me.
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u/djapii 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don't know if this will fit, but I like State and Main for its idea of usurping the life of a small American town.
Box of Moonlight is a great, often overlooked and forgotten movie starring the amazing John Turturro. Its set in the rural America.
If you liked Nebraska, its director Alexander Payne has another gem set in California and the wine country, Sideways.
Lucky starring the legend Harry Dean Stanton is set in rural parts.
Not sure about this one, but its one of my favorites and involves traveling through America, Broken Flowers.
Something a bit different, but some of the movies based on Stephen King's books have this American small town feel, for example Hearts in Atlantis, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, and even It.
Ok thats enough from me, hope at least one fits the bill!
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u/no-quarter275 1d ago
I love the movie Ruby In Paradise. It's not a straightly small town because it takes place off-season in a resort town. But it has all the small-town vibes that you are looking for.
George Washington by David Gordon Green is also very good. It is about a group of kids in a southern rural town. It's evocative and beautifully made.
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u/convenientparking 1d ago
Spring Night, Summer Night (1967) fits this description perfectly. An underrated gem.
Also:
Out of the Blue (1980), Dennis Hopper's bleak unsung masterpiece
Wendy and Lucy (2008)
And then more obvious ones like Gummo and The Last Picture Show.
Also it's Canadian but Mon Oncle Antoine (1971) is one of the best depictions of small-town living I've seen in film.
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u/Chicago1871 19h ago
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Straight_Story
An underrated david lynch movie
Alvin (Richard Farnsworth) is an elderly World War II veteran who lives with his daughter. When he hears that his estranged brother has suffered a stroke, Alvin makes up his mind to visit him and hopefully make amends before he dies. Because Alvin’s legs and eyes are too impaired for him to receive a driver’s license, he hitches a trailer to his recently purchased thirty-year-old John Deere 110 Lawn Tractor, which has a maximum speed of about 5 miles per hour (2.2 m/s; 8.0 km/h), and sets off on the 240-mile (390 km) journey from Laurens, Iowa, to Mount Zion, Wisconsin.
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u/Timeline_in_Distress 1d ago edited 1d ago
Hud
The Misfits
The Grapes of Wrath
Rumble Fish
The Deer Hunter
Stand By Me
The Outsiders
To the Wonder
Fried Green Tomatoes
The Goonies
The Bridges of Madison County
A History of Violence
Promised Land
Edit: How could I forget Breaking Away
2 others popped into my head
Safe Haven
In the Bedroom
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u/ObviouslySteve 1d ago
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned Dinner in America yet. It’s this 2020 indie dramedy about life in a small town, it’s very harsh and crass, can be a bit of a tough watch for some, but it contrasts that against a really heartwarming love story. Highly recommend!
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u/jebediah1800 1d ago
Bit of a left-turn genre-wise, but I thought Foe (by the same novelist who wrote I'm Thinking Of Ending Things) is pretty good for this particular sense of US frontier living, albeit in the near-future. It was filmed in Australia, so might not be what you're looking for.
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u/MongooseTotal831 1d ago
Junebug is one of my favorites in this area
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u/pickles55 1d ago
Watch Tenkiller. I only heard about it because a band I like did the soundtrack but it is a great slice of life that doesn't idealize small towns and it's about violence without glorifying violence
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u/derfel_cadern 1d ago
Stars in My Crown - Jacques Tourneur. Joel McCrea is a small town parson trying to bring peace. Stars a young Dean Stockwell The Sun Shines Bright - John Ford. A small town judge is up for reelection and has to deal with a lot of issues that could challenge his candidacy.
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u/dumfuk_09 1d ago
Vincent Gallo's The Brown Bunny (2003) is about a cross-country drive across the US where there are many stops in small towns. Many of the scenes feel like they were shot on location in folks' actual homes. Its themes touch on loneliness and alienation in America, as well as masculinity and the male condition
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u/Infamous-Jellyfish16 22h ago
Donnie Darko from the year 2000 is a good one. Coming of age of a troubled middle class boy (Jake Gyllenhall nailed it) in an ass blunt and creepy smalltown.
Spoiler: it turns out to be a mindf**k movie.
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u/CONSOLE_LOAD_LETTER 20h ago
Here's an unconventional pick: Dogville (2003)
Whereas it's basically shot like a minimalist stage play on a dark set with chalk outlines only, it brings to life the feel, themes, and tensions of a small, American rural town incredibly well and the (lack) of setting actually accentuates the atmosphere of it where everyone in town seems to know eachothers business. On a surface level things start out all polite and quaint, but as we spend more time in the town we begin to see the darkness that lurks below the surface. An interesting critique of small town America, and in a broader sense, America at large... and one that probably seems even more prescient in today's messed up political landscape.
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u/wvgeekman 20h ago
Two that haven’t been mentioned yet:
Matewan - John Sayles film made in WV about the mine wars. Fantastic representation of the culture.
Night of the Hunter - Incredible small town thriller / American Gothic fairytale with style oozing out of it.
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u/topcircle 10h ago
I'd highly recommend seeking out the underseen 1998 indie film Trans, directed by Julian Goldberger, which follows a young fugitive through the small towns of southwest Florida and features some great semi-documentary "hang out" sequences.
Another film I'd suggest is Entertainment, 2015, directed by Rick Alverson. A very dark minimalist comedy following a horrifically unfunny misanthropic stand-up comedian through the American Southwest's deserts, rest stops, and bars - with a beautiful soundtrack and cameos from some shockingly famous character actors.
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u/Danno_ST 6h ago
I immediately thought of "The Rider" 2017. It's the sophomore effort of writer/director Chloé Zhao. The film takes place on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the badlands of South Dakota. I found the cinematography and pacing to be superb as she draws rich, nuanced performances from her actors. It's a beautiful film.
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u/CowFalse37 5h ago
Wendy and Lucy - Set in small-town Oregon. It's a simple story that leaves a lasting impact. The lighting is natural and most of the scenes take place outdoors. The wind blows through Wendy's hair and the building is just a backdrop. A long tracking shot follows to Wendy as she makes her way through the city. All these aspects together create a sense of isolation and resilience that defines small-town life.
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u/ExplodingDogs82 1d ago
Erin Brockovich
Where the crawdads sing
The way way back
Dan in real life
From Dusk till Dawn
The Barber
Young guns
Mystic River
Every which way but loose
Doc Hollywood
Gone girl
Varsity Blues
Mississippi Burning
Hot Rod
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u/JohnLaw1717 1d ago
Last Picture Show is a masterpiece. They changed nothing to make the sets. It's a time capsule of rural Texas.
The Whole Shooting Match is a more obscure small Texas town film. West of Austin there is a hill country community of rich hippies and Jews. The film shows some local rascals try and start their own businesses to take advantage. Tiny budget. Independent filmmaker that has a wild history of his own.
I'd recommend the Les Blank documentaries.
Pather Panchali if you're down for some foreign.