The Last Stop in Yuma County

Writer/editor/producer/director Francis Galluppi impresses with his feature debut.

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Every so often a movie comes along that serves as an announcement of an exciting new filmmaking voice. It’s not perfect per se, but shows a great deal of promise. Writer/editor/producer/director Francis Galluppi is that filmmaker and his feature debut “The Last Stop in Yuma County” (available in select theaters and on VOD beginning Friday, May 10) is that film. Galluppi has such a handle on escalating tension that it’s no wonder he’s been tapped to tackle an upcoming “Evil Dead” flick.

A traveling knife salesman (Jim Cummings) gets stuck at a diner/filling station/motel hybrid in the middle of the desert when his car runs out of gas, the station is out of gas, the gas truck is running late and there’s not another station for 100 miles. He’s steered toward the diner by Vernon (Faizon Love aka Big Worm from “Friday”), owner/operator of the filling station and motel, where he can wait until the truck arrives.

Serving him is diner owner/operator Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue), wife of the local sheriff Charlie (Michael Abbott Jr.). Soon joining them are Beau (incredibly creepy character actor Richard Brake) and Travis (Nicholas Logan), a pair of bank robbers on the lam who are unable to scram due to the lack of gas. As more folks arrive at the diner – among them elderly Texan couple Robert (Gene Jones) and Earline (Robin Bartlett), shady young lovers Sybil (Sierra McCormick) and Miles (Ryan Masson), green Sheriff’s deputy Gavin (Connor Paolo) and Native American regular Pete (Jon Proudstar) – the chances of violence escalating increase exponentially.

“TLSiYC” is a very entertaining neo-noir/Western, which I greatly enjoyed despite its inherent darkness. It often reminded me of a shorter, simpler and less starry spin on Drew Goddard’s vastly underrated 2018 offering “Bad Times at the El Royale.” It’s well-acted, well-written and well-made and sports some sick needle drops from the likes of Roy Orbison and the Grass Roots. There’s a timelessness to the production that I found very appealing – it takes place in or after 1973 as Terrence Malick’s “Badlands” is namechecked, but there’s nary a cell phone in sight.

“TLSiYC” is a lean (a mere 90 minutes) and mean piece of pulp entertainment. Despite being a novice, Galluppi is very much a voice of which we should take notice. I’ll eagerly await his entry to the “Evil Dead” franchise.