Cold in July

● FILM / 11.20pm / BBC2

(not NI)

Michael C Hall plays a meek family man in 1989 smalltown Texas, who’s hailed a hero after (accidentally) shooting dead a would-be burglar. But he incurs the wrath of the criminal’s excon dad (Sam Shepard) and then this heart-stopping thriller hits its stride as director Jim Mickle and screenwriter Nick Damici send it down unpredictable, body-strewn paths. The plot is gripping with a great cast including Don Johnson as a private detective. ★★★★ JB