By Lynn Venhaus
In “The Rivals of Amziah King,” bluegrass, beekeeping and backwoods buddies keep this folksy fable brimming with surprises – with its twisty story, distinctive characters and strong sense of community.

In his first film in six years, Matthew McConaughey charms effortlessly as the title character. Convincing with his warm smile, deep drawl, and caring demeanor, Amziah is obviously beloved in this weathered patch of Oklahoma. A proponent of hospitality, potlucks and jam sessions, he dispenses poetic wisdom, surrounded by a fiercely loyal crew of eccentrics, misfits and lost souls.

Through superb cinematic storytelling, writer-director Andrew Patterson, whose impressive debut 2020 film “The Vast of Night” was an engrossing sci-fi thriller, has crafted a lived-in world that ebbs and flows with an entrancing Southern rhythm.

With its layered natural look, the cinematography by M.I. Littin-Menz and editing by Patrick J. Smith distinguish this film.

Yes, it meanders, sprawling in a messy way, but it’s never not true to its roots. The message of integrity, tenacity and shared values strikes a chord in a fascinating found-family tale. Patterson’s on-the-nose metaphors are meaningful – the beehives are as captivating as communities as King’s devoted ragtag inner circle.

The homespun story unfolds in an unhurried fashion and is rich in noteworthy details. An unorthodox river heist is a marvel of ingenuity and determination while King’s tasty tour of dishes at a potluck, revealing the cook behind each recipe, is authentic in its ‘truth or a lie” sage advice.

Of the film’s many highlights, the breakout performance by Angelina LookingGlass as Kateri, who once stayed with Amziah and his wife Glenda when they were foster parents, is a heart-tugger. After Glenda died, Amziah was no longer able to foster youths and Kateri went back to her biological mother. They meet again, and it is kismet. He takes her under his wing as an apprentice, and she’s an unswerving protégé, with an interesting mystical side, too.

Other supporting characters are memorable. Jake Horowitz is street-smart and resourceful fixer Remmick, Scott Shepherd is mush-mouthed eccentric Chimmy, Cole Sprouse is fast-food worker Oat with super-sleuth skills, and Bruce Davis is savvy state investigator Sunderland. 

In a brief but pivotal role, Kurt Russell is Dob McCoy, a slick powerful agricultural bigwig who oozes good ol’ boy charm.

Playing music are Rob Morgan as right-hand legal counsel Rippy; Owen Teague as rugged former Marine and fiddle player Pirate; and Tony Revolori as newcomer Colmar, among others.

The toe-tapping music soundtrack is sublime, with songs written by Erick Alexander and produced by T Bone Burnett. The joyous “Quill,” sung during a kitchen jam session with Ben Hardesty, is a standout.

While one can quibble with its thick aw-shucks characters that could lean towards cartoonish if they weren’t so genuine, what Patterson has created has a deeper emotional connection. His use of roots music to tell a tale about roots among people and towns is deftly delivered.

King says “Ain’t no one all bad or all good” and that’s the approach Patterson took writing these colorful characters. It gets a tad unsavory in the final third, as a revenge crime drama takes over.

McConaughey, the charismatic Oscar winner in his first big-screen role since “The Gentlemen” in 2019, is as magnetic as ever. (OK, he did “The Lost Bus” in 2025, but that was a streaming release, and his voice work in the “Sing” movies doesn’t count). The movie is reminiscent of his 2012 “Mud” – about a tight-knit community in rural Arkansas, and has a crowd-pleasing quality, like “The Peanut Butter Falcon” did in 2019.

McConaughey has a sweet, earthy chemistry with LookingGlass, and she lights up the screen when called upon to help save the business.

“The Rivals of Amziah King,” which premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival, has all the makings of a summer sleeper hit, in the same way that “Hell or High Water” became a big August surprise in 2016. At a recent Saturday matinee, the theater was packed with senior moviegoers, which was sweet music to my ears, much like this film.

“The Rivals of Amziah King” is a neo-western crime drama written and directed by Andrew Patterson and starring Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Owen Teague, Jake Horowitz, Tony Revelori, Scott Shepherd and Kurt Russell. It is rated R for language and some grisly images and the run time is 2 hours 10 minutes. It opened in limited release Aug. 14 and will be released wide on Aug. 21. Lynn’s Grade: A-.