Made on a budget of just $700,000, Andrew Patterson‘s directorial debut The Vast of Night was quite an impressive feat. The Twilight Zone-inspired sci-fi mystery followed two young radio technicians who found a strange audio frequency stemming from a UFO, and despite its shoestring budget, the movie worked. It also cemented Patterson as a filmmaker to look out for, one who was bound to make something far greater when given a bigger and broader scope when given the budget and proper resources. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Vast of Night ultimately premiered on Prime Video in 2020, amidst a slew of other movies on streaming with bigger stars attached.
Since the movie’s release, news on what Patterson would do next went quiet, a shame considering just how effective his breakout film was. Now, five years after The Vast of Night, Patterson has delivered his sophomore feature, the crime dramedy The Rivals of Amziah King. Bolstered by an excellent cast led by Texas icon and Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, in his first live-action role since The Gentlemen in 2020, Patterson has delivered what will inevitably go down as one of the very best and most crowd-pleasing movies of the year.
What Is ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’ About?
Way down south of the Mississippi River, in a rural small town in Oklahoma, there lives Amziah King (McConaughey), a beekeeper and folk musician who has become a bit of a local celebrity, despite some run-ins with the law. There are a lot more stakes to beekeeping than you might expect, and no, we’re not just talking about the Jason Statham movie. Amziah runs the community’s honey-making business, and for years he’s been able to fight off his competition fairly easily. He’s a staple of his community church, he helps out with taking care of bee infestations in town, and he’s a damn good musician. Yet, things are getting a lot tougher as of late, especially as rival businesses begin stealing from him, including one run by a greedy and opportunistic businessman amusingly played by Kurt Russell.
As Amziah’s list of conflicts continues to grow, he finds a sense of light when his estranged foster daughter Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass). Kateri’s been dealing with her own personal tragedies, having aged out of the foster care system and losing her mother, and she’s quickly roped back into the honey business. Amziah and his bandmates (Jake Horowitz, Owen Teague, and Ben Hardesty) welcome her to the group with open arms, showing her the ropes of beekeeping. When the competition comes closing in, Kateri finds herself playing a vital role in her mentor figure’s business, as she is forced to make some difficult decisions to preserve Amziah’s pride and joy.
Matthew McConaughey Gives His Best Performance in Years in ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’
In the title role in The Rivals of Amziah King, McConaughey not only delivers his best performance in over a decade but one that could very easily put him back into the Oscar race. Simply put, McConaughey’s charisma has never radiated more than it does here. While the character has his fair share of shortcomings, McConaughey makes Amziah immediately likable, getting to show off some impeccable comedic timing and dramatic beats, all with his ever-beloved Texan accent. You immediately want to root for Amziah, and the movie goes to great lengths to show you how much he means to his community. The Oscar-winner also proves that he has a rock-solid singing voice that jumps out in the film’s joyous musical numbers. It’s the kind of performance that needs to be seen to be believed, and Amziah King will inevitably go down as one of the most memorable characters McConaughey has ever played.
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The real star of the show is Angelina LookingGlass, in her first role as an actress. Even when acting against all the big names in the cast, LookingGlass holds her own. While much of the film’s first half is built around her sweet and heartwarming chemistry with McConaughey, she takes center stage in the second. While McConaughey is largely absent from the latter parts of the movie, LookingGlass’ Kateri is equally likable. We don’t get many movies featuring Native American actors and actresses in prominent roles, and hopefully, LookingGlass’ work here will make her a household name. She has a magnetism that draws your attention to her in every single scene that she’s in. She’s a rare, one-of-a-kind talent, and her performance is one you’ll be thinking about all year long.
The rest of the movie’s supporting cast also turn in remarkable work, including Russell, who is clearly having a great time playing the film’s antagonist, as well as Rob Morgan, who tenderly plays Amziah’s close friend and lawyer who develops a bond of his own with Kateri. Cole Sprouse, Ben Hardesty, and Tony Revolori all get their moments to shine as well, bringing some great laughs and additional heart to the movie.
‘The Rivals of Amziah King’ Is Impossible To Hate
With The Rivals of Amziah King, you can feel the sheer passion that Patterson has behind the camera. The filmmaker bears it all, finding ways to juggle all the movie’s plotlines, which, while at times, are a bit messy, always feel genuine. The first hour or so of the film is clearly where it shines most, not only because of the power of the cast but with the confidence in which it carries itself. It’s hard to pinpoint a specific genre into which the movie falls. At times, it plays like a neo-Western crime story, and other times like a feel-good musical comedy. Tonally, it couldn’t be more different than The Vast of Night, but that just goes to show that Patterson is a force behind the camera.
The cinematography by M.I. Littin-Menz gives The Rivals of Amziah King an old-fashioned feel to it, with a Southern twist. Aesthetically, there are some similarities to The Peanut Butter Falcon, with how the camerawork makes you immediately feel comfortable and cozy. Patrick J. Smith’s editing style has plenty of freeze-frames and quick cuts that could have easily come off as distracting but perfectly complement the tone.
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The Rivals of Amziah King does begin to lose a little bit of steam in its final act, as it has numerous fake-out endings that start to feel a bit too tired, but it all culminates in a final scene that will bring a tear to even the most cynical viewer’s eye. You do begin to feel the movie’s length towards the end, but everything that came before is so infectious that makes these minor quibbles feel like a distant afterthought.
Once The Rivals of Amziah King is released in theaters, you will likely be hard-pressed to find anyone who sees this movie and doesn’t have a smile on their face. It’s a joyous, heartfelt, hilarious, and emotional dramedy that won’t leave your mind.
The Rivals of Amziah King premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival.
The Rivals of Amziah King
With tremendous performances from Matthew McConaughey and Angelina LookingGlass, and passionate direction, The Rivals of Amziah King is one of the best crowd-pleasers in years.
- Release Date
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March 10, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Director
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Andrew Patterson
- Writers
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Andrew Patterson
Pros & Cons
- Matthew McConaughey gives what is easily one of the greatest performances of his career.
- Angelina LookingGlass shines with one hell of an acting debut.
- Andrew Patterson and his team’s passion shine in every frame.
- The music is fantastic and could be a shoo-in at next year’s Oscars.
- There are multiple fake-out endings that begin to stretch the movie thin.
