In the writer-director Shana Feste’s thriller “Heartland,” Misty Jones (Jessica Chastain) sits weeping in the inky night next to a dirt mound, a shovel nearby.
It’s the last time for a spell that the erstwhile country singing sensation will seem so tenderly wrecked. Instead, for her role as Nashville’s onetime “Queen of Mean,” Chastain brings a honed mix of smarts and sinew that has become a trademark. Misty has a temper — and a gun — and she’s unafraid to wield either.
It is that avenging anger that sets Misty apart. (Ask her rural neighbor.) It’s also why Misty’s brother, Donny (Paul Sparks), asks her to return to a city she hates when her niece goes missing.
A rising star in Nashville, Charlie, played by Carter Faith, a country music up-and-comer, has disappeared before. So, none of the denizens of Music City — including the police — display concern. Even though there looks to be a crime scene.
“Nashville has changed,” more than one person reminds Misty upon her return to an industry town she was burned by and that she torched in return. Among those advising caution: the handsome honky-tonk owner Roy Combs (Garrett Hedlund, reuniting here with his “Country Strong” writer-director).
To a nicely twangy soundtrack, “Heartland” keeps us guessing where the secrets (and Charlie?) are buried. An ensemble that includes John Hawkes and Jennifer Nettles, a Grammy Award winner, means that Chastain is not alone in making the movie throb.
She is, however, its bruised heart and best-dressed character. The long, embroidered jacket Misty wears is to die for. And no, in this shadowy thriller, that’s not a spoiler.
Heartland
Rated R for language, some violence, and brief sexual content. Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes. Watch on Netflix.