A well-acted, gorgeously shot exercise in psychological cruelty yet tonally inconsistent.

Richard Bates, Jr.’s third feature, co-starring Adrian Grenier, Angela Trimbur and Fionnula Flanagan, debuted in the festival’s Midnight section.

Flaming out from the get-go, “Trash Fire” represents another soggy batch of Southern Gothic horror-comedy from writer-director Richard Bates Jr. that spe...

Adrian Grenier stars in this black comedy from Richard Bates Jr.

It’s kind of like “Meet the Parents” crossed with “Psycho” and it’s a dark, nasty piece of work in most of the ways it should be.

"Trash Fire" starring Adrian Grenier and directed by Richard Bates Jr premieres at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight section.

Trash Fire blazes with pitch-black wit and a dark, volatile story of redemption so good you'll be laughing your way straight to Hell.