Murder at Yellowstone City (2022)

Murder at Yellowstone City earns its keep by fusing the dusty pleasures of a classic western with the page-turning pull of a whodunit, set in a boomtown that feels like it’s exhaling its last breath. Richard Gray’s direction leans into that weathered, candlelit atmosphere—creaking boardwalks, suspicious stares, and moral rot hiding behind frontier manners—while the mystery tightens its grip with each new accusation. Gabriel Byrne brings a chilling authority as the sheriff, and Isaiah Mustafa gives the newcomer at the center of suspicion a quiet, steady presence that makes the town’s paranoia feel painfully real. It’s not a reinvent-the-genre film, and the violence can be graphic, but if you like traditional western storytelling with an investigative spine and a strong cast to carry it, this one is an easy saddle to climb into.

Murder at Yellowstone City wants to be a moody, old-school whodunit wrapped in dusty Western grit, with a pointed angle about suspicion and scapegoating in a dying boomtown. The problem is it often plays too muted and slow for its pulpy setup, and the mystery tends to feel like it’s moving through familiar beats rather than surprising you. Gabriel Byrne and the ensemble bring presence, but the dialogue and screenplay don’t give them enough sharp material to really crackle, so tension that should simmer ends up lukewarm. If you’re craving a twisty, fast-paced murder mystery, you’ll likely be bored; if you’re fine with a measured, atmosphere-first Western that coasts more than it bites, it’s a serviceable time-killer.