Midnight in the Switchgrass
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Midnight in the Switchgrass
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Midnight in the Switchgrass is a thriller about a Florida law enforcement officer (Emile Hirsch) and two FBI agents (Bruce Willis, Megan Fox) who cross paths while chasing a serial killer. Strong violence against women makes it best for ages 17 and up. Violence is extremely strong and often disturbing; much of it is directed against women. Women are treated roughly, held prisoner, tortured, and murdered. Characters are threatened with guns, hit with blunt objects, and stabbed. A woman beats up a man but also takes a hard punch. The killer dances with a teen girl, kisses her, and grabs her bottom; he also sniffs women's underwear. Language is very strong and frequent, with uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," and more. Teens appear drunk or stoned and smoke cigarettes. Other characters also smoke cigarettes and drink socially, in bars, or at home. Dialogue describes gory crimes, suicides, sex work, sex trafficking, alcohol dependency, and more.
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What's the Story?
In MIDNIGHT IN THE SWITCHGRASS, a young woman's body is found under a bridge. Florida law enforcement officer Byron Crawford (Emile Hirsch) investigates and determines that the crime is likely part of a string of serial killings. Meanwhile, FBI agents Karl Helter (Bruce Willis) and Rebecca Lombardo (Megan Fox) are undercover trying to bust a sex-trafficking ring, with Rebecca acting as the bait. Before long, all three of the main characters realize that they're looking for the same suspect. They set up a trap to catch the killer (Lukas Haas), but everything goes wrong, and Rebecca winds up his prisoner. It's up to Byron to discover the killer's identity and rescue the captives before it's too late.
Is It Any Good?
Slightly more ambitious than anything Willis has attempted lately, this thriller is still pretty generic, taking the most predictable shortcuts and offering few surprises and little to care about. In spite of its cool title, Midnight in the Switchgrass does just about everything by the creaky old book, digging deep into the catalog of serial killer movies from the 1990s, complete with little regard for female characters. Haas is predictably cast as the creepy villain, and -- aside from a few minutes when it appears that he's helping a drunk/high teen girl -- the movie does nothing to hide his identity from the viewer.
Meanwhile, Willis' scenes appear to have been patched together from a series of bad takes; they're riddled with pitiful continuity and mismatched sound. Fox doesn't fare much better. Her big fight scene is so poorly edited that it looks laughably fake. In fact, much of the editing in general is frequently disorienting, and it's very easy to get confused, since certain details seem to have been accidentally overlooked. Only Hirsch (despite an ill-advised mustache) brings some humanity to his character, going out of his way to visit the mother of one victim and trying to be a good dad and husband. Unfortunately, his work isn't enough to save Midnight in the Switchgrass from going under the lawnmower.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the depiction of violence in Midnight in the Switchgrass. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How much of the violence is directed at women? How does that change the nature and impact of the movie?
How are alcohol and smoking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
Why do you think movies about serial killers are popular? What's the appeal?
Do you consider Byron Crawford a role model? In what ways does he show empathy? What are his shortcomings?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 23, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: July 27, 2021
- Cast: Emile Hirsch, Megan Fox, Bruce Willis
- Director: Randall Emmett
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence, and language throughout
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
The Little Things
Flawed but well-made, violent, bloody serial killer tale.
-
The Frozen Ground
Bleak, very violent, but compelling serial killer story.
-
The Bone Collector
Grisly thriller with great performances; not for kids.
-
Seven
Grim, slick, shocking thriller. Older teens only.
-
The Silence of the Lambs
Thriller that made the serial killer a superstar.
-
Mare of Easttown
Suburban murder mystery has violence, sex, drinking.
For kids who love thrills
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