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Best movie of this year hands down!

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Overrated

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

It's technically very well done, the scenery is wonderful and it's a pretty good story. The acting is pretty good, too. So, why did I give it only five out of ten stars? There's just something about it, pacing maybe, that put me off. Or the ''look'' of it. It looks like it was shot with HD digital cams, and looks like the old TV Soaps used to look when they were shot on Video Tape, and everything looks a bit too 'real.'..Or something. Hard to describe.

I've seen and reviewed hundreds of Westerns here, but this is one of the most unconventional stories you're liable to come across. It's got that familiar element of a greedy land grabber trying to bilk a woman out of her family's ranch, but the story goes much deeper to reveal the dysfunction of all it's characters, most notably Martha Kirkland (Clare Brown), who opens the story in uncharacteristic fashion. I won't make that reveal here for the benefit of those who haven't seen it yet, but the film sends the viewer on a compelling journey in trying to determine who the picture's good guys and bad guys are.With all the clichéd story lines one will run up against in the Western genre, this one offers up a number of intriguing elements that haven't been tested before, at least up to this point in my viewing experience. The first was that 'bullet in the glass' which put Martha and husband Heck (David Call) on notice that Wade McCurry (Barlow Jacobs) wasn't buying the explanation for his father's death. The limited back stories of the principal players also contributed to the unsettling resolution that came with Heck's confrontation against Wade. That he rode with Quantrill's Raiders and Bloody Bill Anderson went a long way to explain how he had no trouble gunning down mining company rep Lane (Joseph Lyle Taylor).For an independent production with a novice director, I can only see good things going forward for Jared Moshe, who crafted this movie with relative unknowns. The cinematography was more than competent, and though I acknowledge the occasional inaudible dialog that other reviewers have mentioned, my use of captioning proved useful enough to understand what the characters were talking about. For anyone who believes the tale is too slow in the telling, stick around for the final resolution, as it stands typical Western conventions on their head. The only thing I was left to ponder in the end was how Three Penny Hank got his name.

I'm sad to see such ignorant criticism posted about this fine film. It is well crafted, well acted, well written and the cinematography is mesmerizing amidst the colors of the New Mexican desert. It is important to note that this is a literary minded drama with the right amount of action. It is not a shoot-em-up action film with Clint Eastwood type one liners. It reminds me of Greek Tragedy and I can't explain the details why without spoilers so just keep that in mind as you view and any reader of classics will clearly see these timeless themes and cautionary tales of morality inherent in the story line. I was impressed at the implied back stories which indicated the family's troubles existed prior to their current explosive dilemma. The story accomplishes so much meaning with spare details that become crystallized as the film concludes. This film deserves a much much higher rating so if you like it as much as I did please share a review that will help ensure people won't pass over this great Western Drama because of an unfair rating.

Dead Man's Burden is a low budget independent film that follows the story of a family post Civil War. I was impressed by Jared Moshé's directing and writing and while there is room for improvement I believe he does hold much skill and knowledge for film. The film location alone of New Mexico adds intrigue and beauty as well as capturing the tone of a traditional Western. Barlow Jacobs and David Call were decent, however at times rather cheesy. Clare Bowen gives a standout performance as Martha Kirkland. I hold high hopes for her in the future as she continues Nashville and works on future projects. All in all this film is worth viewing at least once and I urge you to give it a chance.