• Crime
• Drama
• Thriller

King Ivory 2024

King Ivory is a gritty 2024 American crime thriller written and directed by John Swab, who drew on his personal experience with addiction and extensive research into the drug trade. The film’s title is a slang term for fentanyl, and the plot is a multi-threaded, unsparing exposé on the fentanyl epidemic in the American Midwest, primarily set in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The narrative intertwines the lives of several distinct groups: Layne West (James Badge Dale), a dedicated Tulsa drug cop whose mission becomes tragically personal when his teenage son, Jack (Jasper Jones), becomes hooked on fentanyl; the various criminal syndicates, including the Mexican cartel's local shot-caller, Ramón Garza (Michael Mando); the incarcerated Indian Brotherhood War Chief, Holt Lightfeather (Graham Greene); and the local Irish Mob family outfit, led by the volatile George "Smiley" Greene (Ben Foster) and his mother, Ginger (Melissa Leo). The film’s tension comes from Layne West’s pursuit of these dealers while confronting the futility of the "War on Drugs" when the crisis hits so close to home.The film boasts a strong ensemble cast of notable character actors, including James Badge Dale, Ben Foster, Michael Mando, Graham Greene, and Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo. It had its world premiere in September 2024 at the Venice Film Festival's Orizzonti Extra section. Critics generally offered mixed-to-positive reviews, often praising its urgent, hard-nosed approach and the strong, committed performances, particularly by Dale and Foster. Many reviewers compared the film's structure and scope to Steven Soderbergh's Traffic but noted that Swab's film is rougher, more visceral, and ultimately more pessimistic. Criticism focused on the script being overly busy, sometimes relying on B-movie tropes, and the film's bleak tone lacking the complexity needed to fully resonate with the tragic subject matter. Regarding box office, King Ivory had a limited theatrical release in the US beginning on November 14, 2025. As an independent, hard-hitting crime drama, it did not achieve blockbuster numbers but performed respectably for its genre, with its primary success coming from visibility at festivals and its critical reception. It is currently available for purchase or rental via Premium Video-On-Demand (PVOD) services. Read More

• 2025
• 2 h : 10 min
• 62 views
• 5.947
• R