Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

stephmil_22 Brigham City is a "Garden of Eden" story based in Brigham City, Utah. Brigham City is a little piece of Mormon paradise interrupted by the presence of an evil serpent. Never before has the city experienced a murder. This movie portrays a definite contrast between the "real world" and the naive town. This contrast goes hand in hand with Mormon communities. Mormon communities are well known and criticized for their isolation from mainstream society. The discussion between the sheriff and deputy about real world news and the fact that the secretary at the sheriff's office had not recognized the signal for a dead body highlights the isolation of the town. The main character, Wes, holds a pivotal role in this film, as he represents the entire religious community. Serving as bishop and sheriff shows the difficulties of the Mormon community to hold dual roles. His refusal to listen to the news serves as an example of the isolation of the Mormon religion. Wes' naiveté represents innocence, but as the pieces of Terry's gun are methodically put together, so are the pieces of the investigation. Wes gains the knowledge he has been searching for when the gun is whole. Then Wes makes a decision that forces him to lose his innocence forever.The dual roles of the sheriff also help increase the tension of the film. The tension is first apparent when a woman comes into the sheriff's office for a religious confession. The tension between these roles climaxes during the investigation of Steve's house. Wes, performing his duty of sheriff, had little patience for Steve trying to ask for forgiveness for hoarding a pornography stash.One should watch out for the color red in this film as it plays a sinister role in the movie. The car of the first murder victim was red. The blood on the wheel was bright red. Most of the victims have red hair. The fingerprints of the murderer are taken from a red (admittedly almost maroon) cup. The murderer, himself, admits that his only blonde victim had hair that looked red when he finished with her. This color seems to connect the murders and symbolize evil. The most telling scene of this movie was the shooting practice scene. In this scene, Terry and Wes have a discussion about the killer. Terry wonders whether the killer could feel remorse for his actions and whether the killer could be forgiven and sent to heaven. Then we see Wes miss most of his shots while Terry hits all of his targets. Terry's concern for the well-being of the soul of the murderer hints and excellent shooting skills are a strong indication that Terry is the killer. Wes' story lack of marksmanship shows his innocence while his story about his first hunting experience shows how easily innocence can be lost.Clearly, the foreshadowing of this film may be been a bit obvious. Stu's death seems imminent from the very beginning because he says that one day his companions will miss him when he is gone. An ominous moment occurs when "All is well" is spoken at the gazebo. It should not go unnoticed that the next murder victim was found shortly after under the very same gazebo. And who could miss the signs that pointed to the murderer in the shooting practice scene? But if one dials the foreshadowing down some, imagine the suspense one could create. All-in-all, Brigham City may not be at the top of one's list of movies to see if one is looking for suspense. At times, the movie becomes a little too concerned with the religious message and the feeling of tension is lost. The plot is a little tired and the foreshadowing allows one to identify the last victim and the killer well before the movie comes to an end. But if one is looking for a film that captures the very essence and struggle of the Mormon community, this film is one to see.

Ruxskull The standard serial murder mystery elements are all here, from the intruding federal agents to the bewildered local population. The great new approach is from the context of the movie, that being a Mormon community.The victims, investigators, and probably even the murderer are all from the small deeply religious town. How that plays out during the course of the murders makes for a new and excellently entertaining approach to the old mystery formula.The ending may be a let down to some, no final ultra twist, but the film is superior for the journey.

Tim Rollins Richard Dutcher's follow-up to his spectacularly successful indie film GOD'S ARMY was this little gem called BRIGHAM CITY. Dutcher plays small-town sheriff Wes, who finds his little corner of paradise deep in not only a murder mystery, but also in the grip of a serial killer. All of a sudden, this quiet sleepy town is thrust into the national spotlight and bodies start showing up all over the place.Wes is not only the sheriff; he is also the bishop of one of the local wards (congregations) in town, so he is placed in a dual role as both physical protector from a law enforcement standpoint and spiritual leader as well. His young deputy Terry (played by Matthew Brown) helps him out as does an FBI Special Agent (played by Tayva Patch) who flies in from New York to help out on the case.As panic builds within the town and as they try to find who is doing all the killing, everyone is considered suspect. A town that has long lived on faith and trust begins to look at itself and each other in a new light now that the world has invaded on their corner of paradise and left their indelible mark on what for many of them had once been hallowed ground. It's certain that many of them will never look at life the same again.Dutcher does an exceptional job of doing something nobody has dared do before, and that is exploring the dark side of the Mormon psyche, and doing so in a manner that does not denigrate either the Church, its members or the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for that, he has my everlasting respect. All of us have our dark sides; if sufficiently provoked, even the most mild-mannered of society's members – in or out of the Church – can be provoked or driven to do things that are beyond the pale such as serial killings and the like.BRIGHAM CITY will leave you guessing all the way to the final scene before you realize who the killer is, and the end will leave you satisfied that you have indeed watched a true cinematic masterpiece. Of all the films I have seen that were directed to a primarily LDS-oriented audience, this one disturbed them the most, which tells me this one is BY FAR the best, as most of the Utah-types are still mind warped in the "Happy Valley" mode, and for them, they are better off staying in their own little world. It disturbed them because it hit home, and they did not like that – not in the least – and the fact that it did, had me cheering all the louder for Dutcher.Dutcher's film reminds us to use common sense in conjunction with our faith. I can think of at least THREE preventable tragedies in the last several years out in Utah that could have easily been avoided had more of the "Happy Valley" mindsets used a little street sense hand-in-hand with their faith. Come to think of it, we could all use more of both in our lives.On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this film a 12/10. ***

fliebynight My wife and I watched this movie last night and we're still talking about it. We are both Mormon so we'd heard of the movie but had no idea what it was about. We were very pleasantly surprised. Whatever your religious persuasion, you will enjoy this movie. It certainly did a good job of portraying a Mormon community and along the way I wondered why they kept showing intimate details of our faith, but at the end it all came together as each element was important for the plot to fully play out. Perhaps my expectations were low after seeing God's Army a few years ago, but I thought Dutcher did a great job weaving the characters and the plot together and the suspense is simply fantastic. I give it a 3.5 out of 4 - I'd give it a 4 if there were professional actors, but it nearly deserves a 4 anyway. The acting actually was very good.