The Rivals of Amziah King

There’s a scene in La La Land where Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are walking through a Hollywood backlot. Emma Stone looks around, smiles, and simply says, “I love this.” I know exactly what she means. Every now and then I’ll see a movie—or even a behind-the-scenes featurette—that makes me stop and think, God, I love movies. Five minutes into Andrew Patterson’s The Rivals of Amziah King, that’s exactly how I felt. The film grabs hold of you almost immediately and never lets go, delivering one of the most rewarding cinematic experiences I’ve had all year.

In a small rural town lives Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey), a man whose greatest passions are music, beekeeping, and the honey his bees produce. He’s become so respected for his craft that when authorities need help identifying a shipment of mysterious honey barrels, Amziah is the first person they call.

While investigating, he reconnects with Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass), a young woman he and his late wife once fostered. Their reunion feels natural, and before long Amziah welcomes her into his honey business. But when his own hives suddenly disappear, what begins as a quiet character piece slowly transforms into an engrossing crime thriller that’s impossible to predict.

Written and directed by Andrew Patterson, The Rivals of Amziah King captures rural life with remarkable warmth and authenticity. That’s the heart of the movie, but underneath it all is a thriller filled with twists that constantly keeps you guessing. Patterson never rushes the story. Instead, he lets the world breathe, giving every character a chance to matter before pulling you deeper into the mystery.

The truth is, The Rivals of Amziah King is one of those movies that’s almost impossible to summarize. Part of what makes it so special is discovering it for yourself. It’s funny, heartfelt, suspenseful, and unlike anything else you’ll see this year. The film refuses to stay inside one genre, and the result is something that feels almost hypnotic. You don’t just watch it—you get completely lost inside it.

Patterson deserves enormous credit for creating such a rich and lived-in world, but the heart and soul of the film belongs to Matthew McConaughey and Angelina LookingGlass. McConaughey delivers some of the best work of his career, yet somehow he isn’t even the movie’s biggest revelation. That honor belongs to LookingGlass. She gives the kind of performance that instantly announces a star. It’s impossible to imagine anyone else in the role, and the chemistry she shares with McConaughey gives the movie its emotional center.

The Rivals of Amziah King is one of the most entertaining, surprising, and genuinely joyful movies I’ve seen in a long time. It’s also a beautiful reminder of the power of community and the goodness that can exist in everyday people simply trying to live their lives. Andrew Patterson has crafted something truly special here. Compliments to the chef, because for me, The Rivals of Amziah King isn’t just one of the year’s best films—it’s my favorite movie of the year.

Brian Taylor

Member of the North Texas Film Critics Association, and lover of all things Cinema