Jim Cummings made a short film of the same name back in 2016 that really is the basis for the opening scene of Thunder Road, with the rest of the film being built around it. Starring Cummings as police officer Jim Arnaud who recently lost his mother and is going through a divorce and custody battle for his young daughter. The film opens with Arnaud giving the eulogy at his mother’s funeral, which is one of the most darkly funny things I’ve seen for some time.

After that moment there are very few comedic moments as brilliant as the eulogy scene. Instead it is the drama as Arnaud’s life begins to fall apart as he struggles with everything that is happening in his personal life. The film particularly works in the moments between Arnaud and his daughter as he feels he is losing his connection with her, and tries to find it. If the film had been as funny as that opening scene I might be talking about Thunder Road as one of the best films of the year, but this is still the kind of tiny budget film that can make a real impact.

7/10