Toby Sawyer (Duke Nicholson, Us) is a young, part-time Deputy in a small Texas town in Norman County. Toby has a wife, Doris (Billie Lourd, Star Wars franchise), and baby Toby Junior at home he needs to provide for. He would like to become a full-time cop so that he doesn’t have to get a job at a fertilizer factory, however, it’s not currently in the town budget. Sheriff Frank Krueger (William H. Macy, Fargo, Boogie Nights) tells the young man he needs to prove that he has the rigor for the job, can act like an adult, and work hard. However Toby has a knack for laziness and messing things up. So when the Sheriff tasks him with guarding a dead body until the ambulance arrives, its no surprise that Toby manages to mess up such a simple assignment. Toby wanders off for a few minutes to see his sidepiece, Molly (Devon Ross, Depravity), and when he returns, the corpse is gone.

Toby goes into panic mode, and begins a frantic search around town, trying to locate the missing body. He soon discovers that he has become the target of some young men who inexplicably want him dead, and he’s pretty much on his own to handle things. His search also accidentally uncovers corruption in the town, along with additional enemies who either want to pin things on him or silence him. Toby doesn’t know who is involved, but puts his trust in Deputy Amanda Jackson (Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip). Can they figure out what is going on in this town and put a stop to it?! Or will those trying to keep the secrets buried succeed?

The Deputy is an entertaining thriller based on the 2010 novel by Victor Gischler. Much of the film is spent following Toby as he frantically searches for this missing body, unlocks clues as to what going on in the town, and tries to escape from those who are trying to kill him. When we first meet Toby, he appears to be quite the slacker, who doesn’t take his job all that seriously, and has questionable morals. I initially found him to be a bit annoying, especially how he’s constantly telling people how much he wants this job, only to have him shirk the first responsibilities he is given. However the character grew on me as the film went along. Ddespite his flaws, he might otherwise be one of the most honest and moral people in this town. And so you can’t help but root for this character.

The film was directed by directed by Matt Sukkar (Bleeding Love), and has so many exciting twists and turns. It is also constantly introducing new characters, which can be confusing at times, but we seem to eventually get enough info on each on to keep track of them. While Toby may not be a very good cop, he definitely seems to know everyone in this town. Just as Toby manages to get out of one scrape, something else pups up, putting him once again in danger. The number of people trying to kill also seems to keep growing. All of the events take place over the course of one long night, so there’s no chance for rest. As the audience member, you’re on the same rough journey as Toby. The writers keep the audience guessing as Toby tries to piece together the corruption in this town, and who may be behind all of it.

The film’s cast is great, and filled with recognizable actors. In addition to those already mentioned, some of the other actors appearing as quirky characters in this town include Stephen Dorff (Blade, Immortals) as fellow officer Billy, Julia Fox (Uncut Gems) as the convenience store cashier girl that Toby keeps running into as he makes various stops throughout the night, and Colleen Camp(Clue) as town resident Mrs. McCarthy. When I first saw Tiffany Haddish listed in the cast, I assumed this film was going to take on more of a comedic tone. However, while there are a few humorous moments, the film does not lean into comedy, and is much more of an action-thriller, which works quite well.

Well Go USA has released The Deputy on Blu-ray, DVD and digital. We were sent the Blu-ray version for review, which looks and sounds great. Even though much of the movie takes place at night in darker circumstances, the video presentation looks clean with a solid level of detail. The audio track provides clear dialogue and makes use of the stereo and surround channels to provide an immersive experience. This is particularly noticeable later on in the film where after some gunfire, the sound of dogs barking fills the room.

Well Go’s Blu-ray release does not include any bonus material besides the usual trailer and previews. The Blu-ray disc comes packed in a standard HD keepcase, covered with a glossy cardboard slipcover. There is no digital copy included.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:39:51)

Blu-ray:
• 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Stereo
• Subtitles: English, French

Extras:

• Trailer (1:54)
• Previews:
  • Legend of the White Dragon (1:53)
  • Man of War (2:04)
  • Seven Snipers (1:50)

Final Thoughts:

The Deputy is an entertaining low budget thriller that never feels low budget. Things are constantly moving along, putting the main character into dangerous new situations and keeping the audience guessing as to what will happen next. Well Go’s Blu-ray looks and sounds great, but is barebones and doesn’t include any bonus material. That said, it’s still worth a look for fans of the cast/genre.