Directed by Anthony Jerjen
Written by Andrew Crabtree
Starring Josh Hartnett, Bruce Dern and Margarita Levieva 
Running time 1 hour, 30 minutes
MPAA Rating R for drug content, violence and pervasive language

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport 

I am always up to watch any flick featuring America’s sweetheart from the midwest, Josh Hartnett. 

Since he made his silver screen debut in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later I proclaimed myself the treasurer of the J. Hartnett fan club. Andddddd because I am sure you are all wondering… I will share my favorite Josh performance. Insert drum roll here... Hands down my favorite Harnett performance is in Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides in which he played the dashing bloke, Trip Fontaine. Although, I do also have quite the soft spot for his portrayal in Lucky Number Slevin. I will not speak of the mistake that was 30 Days of Night or the atrocity 40 Days and 40 Nights. Both of which I, painfully, saw in the theater. At least with 30 Days I left with a memory that shall remain with me until coffin time. PIcture it! A crisp fall day in October, 2007 at the cinema: My partner in crime, Benjamin, is overcome by a fit of maniacal laughter, rivaling that of Joker™, after not being able to handle the gothic “awesomeness” of a vampire playing a record with their elongated fingernail. Benjamin may have caused a disruption that evening that quite possibly ruined the movie for our fellow theater goers, however he later pointedly said to me that the movie most definitely ruined itself. Frankly, I can’t disagree.

I suppose it begs the question, why I would continue to view movies from someone with such a spotty track record (e.g. Pearl Harbor). Meh. Guys, the answer is simple: MOVIES and you gotta watch ‘em all. I was more than elated to watch the flick, Inherit The Viper. Despite the questionable title that sounds like an origin story of famed third-generation wrastler, Randy Orton (he goes by the VIPER guys), this movie ended up being a worthwhile watch. 

Anthony Jerjen’s feature debut is a gritty ninety minute tale set in one of America’s forgotten Appalachian mountain towns. For those local to Pennsylvania, I wouldn’t say the setting is as bad as Centralia, but definitely reminiscent of, say, Tamaqua. Most of the residents are unemployed, factories have shut down, morale is low and work induced back pain is plentiful. Thankfully, liquor is still being delivered and it flows freely at Bruce Dern’s pub, a frequented establishment by much of the townsfolk. Siblings Kip Riley (Hartnett) and Josie Riley (Margarita Levieva), have managed to make ends meet by slinging drugs. 

It comes as no surprise to anyone, peddling narcotics is a tough racket and inevitably comes with consequences such as death and destruction. Inherit the Viper plays out like a run of the mill crime drama. This is a flick that knows exactly what it is and it doesn’t try to jump any sharks. It follows a formula and, although one may not witness any novel takes on the genre, everything works just according to plan. 

Jerjen manages to tell a coherent tight story that doesn’t waste your time. It is apparent that everyone showed up and got the job done, notably the cast. Harnett gives a great performance as the conflicted brother that no longer wants to dabble in criminal riff raff, while Margarita Levieva strongly depicts a character that feels she has no other choice (a feeling that many may find relatable in today’s world, especially those that feel society is leaving them behind). 

If you are home on a cold wintry night and don’t feel like scrolling through the endless options on your preferred streaming service, I would suggest seeking this one out. I have a feeling that, much like the characters represented, this film will soon find itself lost in the abyss.

*In select theaters and on demand Friday, January 10th