Shotgun Stories

Shotgun Stories is a 2007 drama film about a feud between two sets of halfbrothers following the death of their father in rural Arkansas. The film was written and directed by Jeff Nichols, and stars Michael Shannon, Barlow Jacobs, Michael Abbott Jr. and Glenda Pannell.

The brothers crash the funeral, where their fathers second family is mourning. Son delivers a scathing commentary on their father, especially for callously abandoning them to be raised by their hateful mother, while going off to lovingly raise a second set of sons meanwhile forgetting, for the most part, his first set of sons. In the process, Son nearly starts a brawl with his four halfbrothers. The eldest halfbrother, Mark Travis Smith, vows revenge and starts a chain of violent confrontations. Meanwhile, Annie returns and tries to salvage her relationship with Son, but Son is unwilling to give up gambling. Kid plans on marrying his girlfriend, Cheryl, should he get an expected raise, but worries about providing for her and staying faithful. After Mark kills Boys dog by leaving a poisonous snake in its water bowl, Kid attacks and kills Mark, but is himself severely injured in the fight and dies in the hospital. Son and Boy are unaware that Marks brothers Stephen and John were involved in the fight until after Kids funeral, when an acquaintance named Shampoo tells them. Son then goes to their mother, who is coldly indifferent to everything that is happening, to inform her that Kid has just died, while condemning her for raising her sons to be full of hate toward their halfbrothers, before leaving her for the last time.The confrontations between the remaining brothers escalate, with Son on one side and John and Stephen Hayes on the other side unwilling to let the matter rest, despite their brother Cleamans attempts to stop the feud. Son and Boy invade their halfbrothers farm and attack Stephen, but are interrupted and hospitalized by the remaining family and other farm workers. Annie and Cheryl are left grieving and bewildered by the continued fighting. Boy purchases a shotgun and holds Cleaman at gunpoint, but hesitates after seeing the mans sons, and leaves. Boy expresses worry that Son will kill himself trying to protect him from the halfbrothers. He recalls how

Source: Wikipedia