The McLusky family are power brokers tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption, and inequality in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry.
When Taylor Sheridan is no longer with us, he will leave one hell of a legacy behind. And that’s what he’s created as both writer and director in the past seven years. A sample of some of his work; “Sicario,” “Sicario: Day of the Soldado,” “Hell or High Water,” “Without Remorse,” “Yellowstone,” “1883,” and now “Mayor of Kingstown.” And that’s not including all the projects he currently has in development.
“Yellowstone” is, by far, the best show on TV, and I just recently reviewed the “Yellowstone” prequel, “1883,” which was an amazing, wild ride across the American frontier. With “Mayor of Kingstown,” Sheridan, as co-creator and co-writer, along with series regular Hugh Dillon, delivers a realistic and unflinching look at the prison system in the working-class prison town of Kingstown, Michigan.
Jeremy Renner is Mike McLusky, part of the powerful McLusky family, power brokers who work behind the scenes and keep the peace across the entire town, inside and outside the prison system. Along with his older brother Mitch (Kyle Chandler), they maintain order with the street gangs, drug dealers, police, correctional officers, and inmates. If someone needs a favor, no matter how big or small, Mitch and Mike are the ones to go to, and they will inform them if it is doable or not, and if it is, they must be prepared to pay the favor back at some point down the line, no questions asked.
When Mitch is killed in a botched robbery, Mike is left with the impossible decision of becoming the unofficial “Mayor of Kingstown,” the title his brother held before his death. He reluctantly takes control, and because he is new to the job, he is put to the test by everyone in town but quickly proves he can be even more ruthless than his brother but, at the same time, more tolerant when need be. As he settles into his new role, past enemies emerge and attempt to undermine him and his job, but he quickly puts them in their place.
When a young call girl named Iris (Emma Laird) arrives at his office from Milo (Aidan Gillen), a Russian gangster in the local prison and a face from his past, she tells him that Milo sent her, as a gift, in exchange for a favor but Mike is not interested and tells her to get out of the business before it kills her. She refuses and, over the coming weeks, tries to persuade Mike, but to no avail. When Milo realizes that her charms are not working on him, he has his henchman Joseph (George Tchortov) beat Iris almost half to death. When she turns up at Mike’s place, barely able to stand, with a broken arm and covered in bruises, he has compassion for her, but his hatred for Milo immediately intensifies, so he visits Joseph and pummels him into the ground, sending a clear message back to Milo.
At the same time, Mike learns that the inmates at the local prison will revolt against the guards for their harsh and abusive treatment of them, and whispers of a riot begin to spread on the streets. Now Mike must try and intervene and keep all sides happy to avoid unrest, both inside and outside the prison, but he quickly learns that being the Mayor of Kingstown comes with a price.
Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon have created an absorbing and unflinching look at the American prison system, but more than that, they show you what transpires behind the scenes to maintain working relationships with everyone in the community, both the good and the bad, and how these associations are preserved, for better or for worse. Jeremy Renner is in top form and joined by an outstanding supporting cast, including Dianne Wiest, Hugh Dillon, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Hamish Allan-Headley, and Kyle Chandler. While Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” is brimming with lush, gorgeous cinematography of the beautiful Montana landscape, “Mayor of Kingstown” goes in the opposite direction, showing you the uncompromising working-class town and its no-nonsense environment. If you are a Taylor Sheridan fan, this is must-see television, but even if you’re not, this is must-see television.
Now available on Blu-ray™ and DVD
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