The Overnighters review

A pastor's wide-awake club

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Patient, non-judgemental docu-making yields psychologically rich results in Jesse Moss’s potent dispatch from recession-hit America. His focus is Jay Reinke, a North Dakota pastor whose “overnighters” programme provides support to troubled men seeking oil industry work – despite local opposition.

Moss nurtures universal resonances (struggle, redemption) from grassroots materials: timely specifics, conflicted individuals. And few are more conflicted than Reinke, whose secrets provide the boldly irresolute climax to a boldly provocative tale of flawed humanity and hardship.

Freelance writer

Kevin Harley is a freelance journalist with bylines at Total Film, Radio Times, The List, and others, specializing in film and music coverage. He can most commonly be found writing movie reviews and previews at 12DOVE.