User Reviews

Jeff Daniels is an amazing serious actor. His reactions and emotions are awesome. I like him in this sorta spy, hitman role. He missed the bear trap!!!

If you're in the mood for bleak and depressing in a gritty setting with desaturated color, this show fits that bill (and there definitely is an audience for that). This just wasn't the show for me, but I stuck with it because I was interested enough in the mystery, but there isn't really a satisfying ending to season 1, so I guess I'm just quitting now.

After the first two episodes of "American Rust", I considered myself hooked. Sure, it was derivative of prestige dramas that came before it ("Mare of Easttown" immediately springs to mind), but Jeff Daniels was great in the cop role and it really seemed to capture the spirit of Rust Belt, small-town America. Regrettably, the show became such a scattered, unfocused mess the rest of the way that it ended up decidedly average (at best).

For a very basic overview, "American Rust" is kicked off by a murder mystery, of sorts, perpetuated by young men Billy (Alex Neustaedter) & Isaac (David Alvarez). Town sheriff Del Harris (Daniels) is on the case, but also in a burgeoning romantic relationship with Billy's mother Grace (Maura Tierney), complicating all the proceedings. Meanwhile, a sort of "prodigal daughter" (and former lover of Billy) Lee English (Julia Mayorga) comes back to small-town America to take care of her father (Bill Camp), remembering what sort of life she once had one step at a time. All the while, the town is tearing apart at the seams due to opioid drug peddling.

Like I said, to me the setup for "American Rust" was fantastic. Had it just been a story of small-town life, I think I would have thoroughly enjoyed it, as the production value was solid and the acting was great from beginning to end.

But after those first few episodes, the show went in so many different directions at once that it lost me by the end. It ends up being a story about homosexuality, life on the road, the horrors of prison, opioid dealers, and union organization. All are somewhat interesting in their own right, but none are focused on enough to really provide much dramatic content. In that sense, this is a show that may have benefited greatly from "picking a lane", so to speak, instead of branching into new territory with seemingly every installment. The solving of the central mystery behind the show relatively early on was also a puzzling choice.

So, despite my high hopes after the opening salvo, I ultimately can't go any higher than 5/10 stars for this first season. Truth be told, by the finale it probably wasn't even at that watermark for me, but I'll give it credit for the acting, atmosphere, and concept. While the S1 ending certainly leaves the door open for more episodes, I'd only be mildly interested at this point.

Such a shame . Started in a compelling way, albeit a very depressing smalltown.

End with too many open ends yet doesn't seem to warrant a season 2.

Comparisons between this and Mare of Eastown aren't fair on Mare.