Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Writer-director Sean McEwen tackles the sordid story of true crime with his second feature American Outlaws. Based on a true story and the GQ article “The Whole True Story of the Dougherty Gang” by Kathy Dobie, the film follows the exploits of three Florida siblings who decide that the only way out of their desperate situation is a crime spree on the way to Mexico. It is clear that McEwen has a knack for family drama and dynamics. He also has a love for the story of the good bad guys. With a brash honkey tonk flair American Outlaws sympathizes with the three vigilantes in an attempt to somehow understand what would drive a trio to crime. The script leans into the romance of crime with spats of hamfisted dialogue only to be saved by three leads with unbeatable chemistry and a consistently engaging story.

The film opens as a trail of sirens follows Lee-Grace (India Eisley), Dylan (Emory Cohen), and Ryan Dougherty (Sam Strike) on a winding desert road. They are doomed, it’s clear. A sultry voiceover from Lee-Grace lets us know who’s who and we flashback to where it all began. The three siblings have decided that crime and escape are their right after life has dealt them more than their share of bad luck. Older brother Dylan hatches a plan for the three to rob a bank, head to Costa Rica, and ultimately send for Ryan’s pregnant wife. The three hold up a Valdosta bank and ultimately catch the attention of Agent Jameison R. Donovan (Treat Williams) and Agent Morely (Cory Hardrict). Donavan and Morely jump into action with the hopes of capturing the three criminals before they reach the border and the chase is on.

Along the way, we learn a bit more about the three kids on the run. McEwen really aims to find an actual reason why anyone would think that crime was the only logical answer. We start with their lives. Each in their own hell, the siblings are struggling to exist against drug addiction, petty crimes, and poverty. We then learn about their upbringing which was less than stellar. All of it pleads a sympathetic case. Yet it is hampered by the heavy-handed dialogue that lands in the uncanny valley between cheese and Tarantino.

The film is saved by steady pacing and a handful of solid performances. Most notable are the three leads played by Eisley, Cohen, and Strike. The film hangs on the audience believing that they are a family with history. Their chemistry is conspicuous, lending a strong believability to their relationship and ultimately the story. American Outlaws is a good film that could have been great with a little bit of nuance and some stylistic restraint. 

6 out of 10