Blood and dust (Blood for Dust) is a 2023 American crime action film directed by Rod Blackhurst from a screenplay by David Ebeltoft and Rod Blackhurst. The film is set to be released in the United States on April 19, 2024.
The film is a dark crime thriller that tells the story of Cliff, a former traveling salesman who is forced into the underworld of smuggling. After losing his job due to problems with his past, including financial fraud and an affair with his former boss's wife, Cliff accepts an offer from his old friend Ricky. Together, they begin transporting drugs and weapons under the guise of selling drugs.
However, things go awry when Ricky defrauds both the crime syndicate and his clients, leading to violence and chaos. As the events unfold, Cliff's dark secrets are revealed, leading him to a confrontation with Ricky. In the film's climax, Cliff is the sole survivor of a shootout and decides to try to atone for his guilt. But the ending leaves viewers wondering if he can truly escape the consequences of his actions, especially since the trail of his actions remains.
The film was praised for its strong acting (Scoot McNairy and Kit Harington) and for its dark but intriguing atmosphere. It debuted at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival and received mixed but mostly positive reviews for its performances and its themes of greed, repentance, and survival in a capitalist world.
