A man who collects refuse in a small community near Pittsburgh finds himself preoccupied by the death of a young boy whose house he serviced. His straightforward inquiry into what occurred draws unwelcome attention from some residents, raising questions about their concealed secrets. Bronagh Waugh portrays his colleague, Denise Gough embodies his former partner, and Michael Rose takes on the role of the Sheriff. “A Dark Place,” previously known as “Steel Country” from 2018, is a slow-paced drama/mystery that realistically depicts existence in a town located in the eastern United States. It functions as both an intimate exploration of characters and a reflection of societal issues, potentially involving murder. The film shares similarities with "Sling Blade" (1996), though it's considerably shorter. Although it’s accurate to say that the main character’s investigation resolves questions somewhat easily, the narrative prioritizes the town's ambiance, its inhabitants and their connections over intricate details of an inquiry—a choice I found agreeable. I was enjoying the film until the start of the final section, when the plot requires acceptance of a sudden action by Donnie that, as far as I can tell, he completely avoids consequences for because it’s conveniently overlooked. The implausibility of this moment led me to wonder if it might have been imagined, but apparently it was real. Adding to this is the unpleasant nature of the underlying problem and vague suggestions regarding why it's tolerated. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour, 28 minutes, and filming took place in Griffin, Georgia, approximately thirty minutes south of Atlanta, which convincingly resembles Western Pennsylvania. GRADE: B-

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