Possibly the best movie of 1996, Lone Star is a powerful drama of complex characters and family dynamics all wrapped up in an underlying murder mystery. In a lot of ways, Lone Star is a modern-day western with sheriffs, saloons, and small town politics all set in a little Texas border city.
Written, directed, & edited by the great John Sayles, the dialogue crackles in every scene. Just brilliant stuff. The acting is especially excellent here as well with the late Elizabeth Pena putting in a powerful performance. Chris Cooper brings tons of pathos to his character and there’s a a knock-out turn by Kris Kristofferson as a devious town sheriff. In every scene, he just oozes dread. Even if you don’t think this is the best movie of 1996, it certainly is the best written script from that year (or most of the 1990’s frankly). A must watch if you’ve never had this film on your radar before.