Taylor Sheridan’s Crime Thriller No One Remembers is Officially a Hidden Gem

While recently studying the performance statistics of Taylor Sheridan’s movies and TV shows, I noticed one thing. Every movie he has made since he began writing and producing for television hasn’t been a hit. Sicario, Wind River, and Hell or High Water all came out before his first TV show, Yellowstone. Every movie he has made since has either been received poorly or largely ignored by commentators and audiences.

Without Remorse, starring Michael B. Jordan, had the worst reviews, and Those Who Wish Me Dead, starring Angelina Jolie, only made $23 million. Given this trend, I’m doubtful whether his upcoming Call of Duty movie will be good. There’s even more reason to fear, considering that adaptations of popular video games tend to be underwhelming. But even though Sheridan’s recent movies haven’t been impressive, I believe this particular one is severely underrated. Released in 2023, Finestkind, starring Jenna Ortega and Tommy Lee Jones, is definitely worth skipping a coffee date for.

‘Finestkind’ Leans into Sheridan’s Crime-by-Necessity Theme

Charlie and Mabel smile at each other in Finestkind

Has cinema ever given us crazier dramatis personae than what we find in Finestkind? Produced by Sheridan and directed by Brian Helgeland (known for penning the Oscar-winning screenplay for L.A. Confidential), the crime thriller introduces us to estranged half-brothers Charlie (Toby Wallace), a disillusioned college graduate, and Tom (Ben Foster), a scallop fisherman. Worried about his life losing meaning, Charlie asks Tom to take him on his next fishing trip. Sadly, their boat is seized by the authorities for an infraction. Faced with major fines and a deadline, they get dragged into the underworld by Charlie’s lover, Mabel (Jenna Ortega). And as it rains, it pours. They learn that their father, Ray (Tommy Lee Jones), is suffering from terminal stomach cancer.

The feature is a raw, moving, and intimate examination of how economic realities penalize those who have tried to make it the right way and have been met by nothing but bad luck. Watching the brothers’ predicament unfold, we can only think of how many more people have undergone similar upheaval. And the story flows unpredictably, making the audience wonder about many things. Will someone get pinched and end up telling on their accomplices? Will someone become a stool pigeon, opting not to spend years in the clink? Many of Hollywood’s greatest crime thrillers don’t leave you wondering about the ending the way Finestkind does.

Like many other Sheridan movies and shows, Finestkind taps into the crime-by-necessity theme. Once life has battered the characters’ wishful thinking, crime begins taking up way more minutes and space. Here, the brothers chose to break the law harder after an unfortunate fishing incident. In Landman, Cami teams up with a cartel member to save her company. In Hell or High Water, two brothers commit bank robberies to save their land from foreclosure because of debt from a reverse mortgage. It’s a familiar template, and it works perfectly.

Like Many Other Sheridan Productions, ‘Finestkind’ Had Behind-the-Scenes Issues

As successful as Taylor Sheridan is, he just can’t escape the ghost of behind-the-scenes problems. No one can forget the creator’s fallout with Kevin Costner that caused the lead actor to leave Yellowstone sooner than intended. Sheridan has also clashed with showrunners of TV shows he doesn’t personally write. He has had problems with Terence Winter in Tulsa King and had to fire Chad Feshan after Season 1 of Dutton Ranch. And in Lioness, he fired the entire writers’ room, deciding to handle story duties himself.

Finestkind had problems, too, but it appears Sheridan wasn’t to blame. Cinematographer Paul Charbonnet told the New Bedford Guide that he was never paid the agreed sum of $25,000. Charbonnet further claims that he witnessed a gruesome injury to a film crew member’s leg that happened after a homemade underwater camera case exploded during a pressure test. Patrick Ostlund, the victim, confirmed this claim. According to Charbonnet, he sued Rhoda Street Studios, but the company filed for bankruptcy. Sheridan wasn’t the film’s only producer. His primary production banners are SGS Studios and 101 Studios, and no blame was directed at his side. Quite the mess still, huh?

Production issues aside, it’s a shame that there was never any serious buzz surrounding Finestkind. It’s a brilliant movie. Sadder still, it took many years to make. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brian Helgeland wrote the screenplay in the 1980s and was set to make the movie with Heath Ledger two decades later. Unfortunately, the actor passed away. He then tried casting Jake Gyllenhaal and Zendaya much later, but no deals were made. Helgeland had to team up with several producers to bring the project to completion.