American Rust

Near the end of the first episode of “American Rust” — Dan Futterman’s limited series adaptation of Philipp Meyer’s 2009 novel of the same name — Jeff Daniels’ local sheriff tries to explain why he’s gone to bat for a young man accused of assault. You see, Del Harris (an exquisite name for the lead in a modern-day western) is a veteran of the Gulf War, and during the last month of active combat, he was on guard duty when he spotted a man walking too close to the base’s fence. That man was carrying a satchel, which Del feared was a bomb or some other danger to the station he was tasked to protect, so the scared teenage soldier opened fire.American Rust Season 1 Download.

“Next morning, patrol goes out to take a look and there’s hardly anything left — just blood and shredded clothing,” he says. “And no satchel. Did someone come and take it? Maybe. Was it there in the first place?” Del trails off, not able to speak the answer he’s feared for some time. “But you’re under threat, and you start defending yourself, and you just keep on going — past the time the threat’s moved on,” he says. “Maybe that’s just what men do, I don’t know. But it’s definitely what young men do.American Rust Season 1 Download.

“American Rust” is not an easy show to watch. While not as physically brutal as other premium cable dramas, the Showtime series is stacked with unsettling revelations like this one, involving characters who lost their way long before a murder upends their community. Through three episodes (all that were screened for critics), it’s difficult to say where things are headed, either thematically or story-wise, but a happy ending feels far removed from the desolate landscapes of Buell, Pennsylvania.What can be gleaned is stark, sad, and a bit vexing. As a portrait of small town life in America — with populations dwindling as quickly as job opportunities, and with drug addiction rates climbing — it’s recognizable and austere.