I really wanted to like this movie. As I began watching I couldn't understand the negative reviews. I quickly began to see the issues, but I kept watching. I never felt suspense over the murders, and even though that wasn't the intended focus, it was the reason for the entire movie. Most of the characters were expendable, I had little sympathy for the characters that were developed because they were not well developed, and there was no tension or build up to the very lackluster end.

A triple homicide occurs in rural Cutler Co. Mississippi. It involves the daughter of a congressman who appears to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. What we know is that Deputy Sheriff Darryl Everett (Jeff Fahey) is dirty. He deals in meth and was "serviced" by the high school girl who was killed that night. He also told the couple who was killed to go to that spot. The high school girl was a "free spirit" and was also the girlfriend of the local High School quarterback, the grandson Big John Dawson (William Forsythe) who runs the county and Deputy Sheriff Darryl Everett. Rumor has it when Dawson dies he is going to "will it (the county) back to the people." The FBI couple investigating the case includes Vaughn Killinger (James Callis) who has his own demons. He supplies us with a subplot filled with drama, which proved to be a distraction to the film as they spent way too much time on his drinking...okay I get it, he drinks too much and is sleeping with his partner and has messed up his life.

During the investigation, the people in town want to keep their dirty little secrets while everyone seems to be a suspect. The investigation pulls the community apart.

There were no real likable people in this, other than the minor characters. I personally liked the forensics girl who had a small role. The film never develops a good protagonist, and then feigns one at the end, and a messed up ending at that. Vaughn Killinger was a poorly written character with terrible lines. They could have cut that whole bar scene. The film was too long as it was.

Guide: F-word, sex, no nudity.

Repulsive movie with slimy characters--even the "heroes"--and sickening plot line. Makes no sense in a world populated by evil, corrupted, or broken people entirely. . Feel like decontaminating from falling into sewer after trying to sit through it, did not make it past 20 min. Left with bad impressions of Mississippi, small towns, even Federal Bureau of Investigation. X-files this is NOT!