Grungy Backwoods Thriller “Hollow in the Land” Is Derivative and Uninspired

Dianna Agron has been working overtime to do movie roles that are a complete 180 from the singing and dancing she used to as a cheerleading captain on Glee. She can already be seen in theaters as a conflicted nun in Novitiate. Now, she plays a blue-collar heroine in the new thriller Hollow in the Land — whatever the hell that means. Agron is Alison, who’s trying to take care of her hotheaded teenage brother (Jared Abrahamson), who can’t help but get into fights and land in jail whenever someone talks foul about his incarcerated dad, in the clink for an auto accident where he killed a poor, beloved lad. Unfortunately, the brother gets into some deep shit when he’s accused of killing his girlfriend’s dad (whose ex-wife Alison is having an on-the-low, Sapphic love affair with) and goes on the lam. Alison then takes on the role of amateur detective, poking her nose into places where she shouldn’t and implicating herself more than her sibling.

One look at this moody, discount, ass-backwoods pulp from Canadian writer-director Scooter Corkle (I swear to God, this is his name!) and you can tell that Agron wants to break out like Jennifer Lawrence, wowing audiences and critics like she did in the Ozark neo-noir Winter’s Bone. But at least Bone seemed original. The stench of needlessly convoluted derivativeness lingers throughout this flick. Thematically, Hollow feels more like a grungy Lifetime movie, with a hoodie-wearing gal uncovering small-town secrets the dickish townsfolk would much prefer she wouldn’t, than a scrappy, indie potboiler.

But you have to give it up to Agron for at least wanting to expand her repertoire. She’s got layers!

Hollow in the Land
Written and directed by Scooter Corkle
Vertical Entertainment
Opens December 8, Cinema Village