THE STORY – Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma, charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King herds a bluegrass-playing band of misfits while overseeing the premier honey-making operation in town. When Amziah’s estranged foster daughter unexpectedly returns, Amziah leaps at the possibility to renew connection and create a family business. But the honey game is ruthless, and Amziah’s rivals threaten to destroy everything he has built.
THE CAST – Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Kurt Russell, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Jake Horowitz, Bruce Davis & Tony Revolori
THE TEAM – Andrew Patterson (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 130 Minutes
Andrew Patterson exploded in the independent film world in 2019 with his highly imaginative and mesmerizing feature directorial debut, “The Vast Of Night.” It’s been six long years since that film was released, and fans of Patterson and his first feature have been left wondering what he would do next. Well, that question has been answered as “The Rivals Of Amziah King” just had its world premiere at this year’s South By Southwest and was met with a rapturous response from the film festival crowd. I am here to join the band and tell you all that it may still be early in the year, but “The Rivals Of Amziah King” is already one of the very best films of 2025. Patterson has returned with a deeply personal and electrifying vision—one that beats with the soul of the American South, backed by invigorating music and a tremendous amount of heart. Is it a revenge thriller? A heartfelt drama? An uproarous comedy? A stirring musical. What if I told you it was all of the above?
Set in the backwoods of Oklahoma, the film follows Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey), a charismatic and musically gifted beekeeper who leads a ragtag band of lovable locals (consisting of Jake Horowitz, Owen Teague and songwriter Ben Hardesty) while running a thriving honey-making operation. His world is upended when Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass, making her acting debut), his estranged foster daughter, returns back into his life after losing her mother and leaving foster care. As the two navigate their rekindled relationship, they face a looming threat: ruthless rivals (one of whom is played by veteran actor Kurt Russell) determined to bring Amziah’s business to ruin. Kateri’s strength is tested as the conflict takes a turn for the worse and the local sheriff begins investigating (Bruce Davis), but with the help of Amziah’s friend and local lawyer (Rob Morgan) and a thirst for vengeance, Kateri faces the seemingly too overwhelming misfortune head-on, fixated on bringing Amziah’s operation to new heights.
Patterson’s direction is nothing short of hypnotic. The film radiates an infectious energy, seamlessly blending a crime drama with the American Western and a fascinating study of a subculture rarely seen in contemporary cinema. His ability to craft a fully realized world is remarkable, as he immerses us in beekeeping and honey production culture through richly detailed production design, dynamic camerawork, and razor-sharp editing (the use of freezeframes, in particular, is a notable standout for making this one of the most uniquely edited films of the year). The film’s soundtrack—rooted in bluegrass and gospel—further enriches the experience, making it a celebration of music as a form of expression for how these people live and are bound together. Such a magnetic feeling is transferred over to the audience as numerous musical sequences play out in full, equipped with violins, mandolins, and banjos, making you feel connected to these characters and their modest way of living. No other sequence captures this more than one where Amziah charmingly pushes Kateri to sing with his group as they all play spontaneously around the dinner table, crafting the film’s hummable and memorable theme that rings loud and true throughout the rest of the film.
After a six-year hiatus from the big screen, Academy Award-winner McConaughey is at his very best here, delivering one of his most endearing performances—his signature drawl and effortless charm perfectly suited to Amziah’s world-worn, fiercely determined, and captivating nature. He draws you and those around him continuously with his buoyant spirit but gives just enough depth beneath the surface to give the audience a deeper look into what makes this eccentric guy tick. But the true revelation is Angelina LookingGlass, whose breakthrough debut performance is nothing short of extraordinary. She brings a dominant presence to Kateri, embodying strength, vulnerability, and a quiet fury in a role that feels like the spiritual core of Patterson’s long-held desire to tell a Native-centered Western. Her command over the film’s third act, as the spotlight transfers from McConaughey over to her, makes McConaughey’s lack of screen time feel like an afterthought. By this point in the narrative, it’s difficult not to fully buy into how meticulously Patterson has crafted this world and its lovable characters that you’d be willing to follow on whatever individual journey he wants to take you on.
Patterson’s connection to the film’s setting and the story’s themes is deeply felt in his screenwriting and energizing filmmaking. Raised in Oklahoma and thoroughly steeped in its culture, he weaves his own experiences into the fabric of the story, his time working with the Choctaw Nation, his time spent in church communities, and how that reinforces the communal importance of the film’s music and even the friendships that led him to the beekeeping world and his empathy for its people. What began as a no-budget idea has transformed into an unforgettable film that captures a feeling so rarely felt in today’s cinematic landscape: utter joy. Whether it’s through the film’s unexpected violence (One particularly memorable moment involving “The Grand Budapest Hotel’s” Tony Revolori is so shocking but played out for the biggest laughs imaginable), character-based comedy (there’s a reoccurring gag where no one can understand what Scott Shepherd is saying with his thick accent), upbeat soundtrack, or passionate score, “The Rivals Of Amziah King” is often surprising and conjures a sensation quite unlike anything else out there thanks to the singular vision from Patterson.
With “The Rivals of Amziah King,” Patterson delivers a sincere and utterly original film, proving that his feature directorial debut was no fluke and he is the real deal on the independent filmmaking scene. It’s a one-of-a-kind crowd-pleasing film that doesn’t just tell a story; it breathes life into a world rarely seen on screen, introduces us to a new talent in Angelina LookingGlass, brings out the very best in McConaughey and gives us the most lively musical album of its kind since “O Brother, Where Art Thou?.” A rare gem that hums with humor, heart, and humanity, “The Rivals of Amziah King” is a testament to Patterson’s distinct vision and the power of independent filmmaking at its most inspired.
