Last Stop In Yuma County is lean, tense and only 90 minutes long. But at its heart, director Francis Galluppi’s debut feature is a great idea for a thriller. A group of mismatched people is stuck together in a diner at the last gas stop for 100 miles while they wait for the fuel truck resupply to arrive. Some of those present are hardened criminals, while others will make reckless and unhinged decisions by the end. It’s an assured first feature, making fantastic use of both images of classic Americana and the Southwestern setting.
The setup is similar to The Hateful Eight, and there’s a Mexican standoff like in True Romance and Reservoir Dogs. And at another point, a woman puts her bare feet up. But Last Stop in Yuma County isn’t as much of a Tarantino rip as it might sound, even if he’s an influence, along with the Coen Brothers and Sam Raimi.
The film’s time period is never explicitly established, but between the lack of cell phones, the gas shortage, and a prominent Ford Pinto, it’s most likely represents the late-1970s. The movie begins with a character known only as The Knife Salesman, played by Thunder Road and The Wolf of Snow Hollow director/star Jim Cummings. He pulls up to a gas station in rural Arizona, only to be told by the attendant (Faison Love) there’s no gas available there or for hundreds more miles but he’s welcome to wait in the nearby diner.
The pattern repeats with other characters, including a shady duo (Richard Brake and Nicholas Logan) in a green Ford Pinto. The other central character is a waitress (Jocelin Donahue, a breakout) married to the sheriff (Michael Abbott Jr., sporting glorious sideburns). Another diner denizen is played by the actor (Gene Jones) from the “Call it, Friendo” scene in No Country For Old Men. There are background hints that a bank robbery has taken place somewhere nearby, and before long, the guns come out. Cummings has the key performance, playing another overwhelmed sad sack. The actor’s fresh-faced quality provides a nice contrast with the sleazier types in the rest of the cast.
Another successful decision? Rather than placing the inevitable Mexican standoff at the end, Last Stop in Yuma County puts it closer to the middle, setting up an extended aftermath that’s heartbreaking and surprising. The soundtrack is well-curated, featuring the likes of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” and Gladys Knight’s “Midnight Train to Georgia” for crucial scenes. This is an enjoyable debut, now available on all major VOD channels.