Chrystal (film)


Chrystal is an American drama film, which was released to audiences in the United States on April 8, 2005. The cast included Billy Bob Thornton, Lisa Blount, Harry Lennix, Walton Goggins, and Grace Zabriskie. Ray McKinnon, in addition to playing the role of "Snake", directed, wrote, and produced the film. The story is about a woman named Chrystal who has been traumatized both physically and mentally from a car accident that took the life of her son. Joe, Chrystal's husband, has just been released from jail after a 16-year sentence stemming from multiple crimes he committed.

Plot

The story takes place in Arkansas. The film was shot in the Eureka Springs, Arkansas area of the Ozark Mountains. It is the story of Chrystal, a woman who has become permanently injured, emotionally detached, and mentally unstable stemming from several traumatic events in her past.
The movie begins with Joe fleeing from the police in a high-speed police chase with his wife and son in the same car. While weaving down the mountain roads at a high rate of speed, Joe loses control of the vehicle and ends up rolling down a hill and, subsequently, crashing into a tree. Chrystal is severely injured in the accident, suffering a broken neck. Their son, who the police presumed was flung through the windshield, was never found at the scene of the accident, or anywhere in the surrounding areas.
For his role in running from the police and causing injuries to his passengers, Joe is arrested and sentenced to 16 years in prison for a variety of crimes, including fleeing to avoid capture by police.
Upon his release from the state prison, Joe comes back to his home in search of a change in his life. He ends up coming back home to his wife, who hadn't divorced him even while he was away in prison. Because of Joe's run-in with the law, and the resulting car accident and loss of their child, Chrystal is permanently injured in her neck that left her a quadraplegic. Although later Chrystal has managed to regain limited mobility in her body, she has completely lost her enthusiasm, emotions, or will to live.
As Joe begins to slowly work his way back into her life, she is unsure of whether to accept him once again, fearing what may happen if she does so. He now wants to change and atone for his past life of crime. Forced to face his past to continue with his future, Joe runs into an old enemy of his, Snake. Worried about him, Snake invites Joe to rejoin him in his illegal drug operation.

Cast

Reviews for Chrystal were generally positive. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received an 80% score based on 20 reviews, with an average score of 7 out of 10.

Release and box office totals

The movie was released in the United States on April 8, 2005. It was in theaters for 11 weeks following this on limited release. In total, the movie grossed $80,701 in total box office ticket sales. Chrystal's best weekend in box office sales came on its second weekend, where it grossed $19,074.