The Rivals of Amziah King

You aren’t necessarily defined by what you eat, but what you bring to the potluck in The Rivals of Amziah King, a character-driven drama that immerses moviegoers in its rural charms and underlying manipulations.

With a strong emphasis on atmosphere and exposition over plot, the film is stylish and evocative in capturing its setting, even if the central storyline isn’t as compelling as the characters navigating it.

That’s certainly true of the title character, an iconoclastic apiarist in the Deep South who becomes ebullient while conducting bluegrass jam sessions with his mandolin, or during public shindigs with plates of high-calorie goodies. “The gravy is basically an element on the periodic table,” he explains.

A slick-talker who commands the spotlight, Amziah (Matthew McConaughey) is almost the de facto mayor of a town reliant on the lucrative — and surprisingly competitive — honey trade, given his intimate knowledge of beekeeping operations. When an infestation strikes the local elementary school, officials call Amziah first, then emergency personnel.

His own business is on thin ice, but that’s mostly because he gives away so much of his money to friends and neighbors. There are hints that Amziah found a home here years ago after troubles within the foster-care system, although we’re not given specifics.

A chance encounter enables him to reconnect with Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass), a waitress at a nearby diner. They have a deeper, unspoken connection, the extent of which becomes clearer after tragedy strikes, leading to a conspiracy with honey at the most precious of commodities.

Kateri becomes the emotional anchor when the film transitions into a low-key crime thriller in the second half, bringing her into contact with a shady businessman (Kurt Russell) from her past.

The two lead performances provide a highlight, with McConaughey’s free-spirited charisma counterbalanced by the understated expressiveness of newcomer LookingGlass, whose quiet introspection initially conceals Kateri’s determined resilience.

The character-driven screenplay by director Andrew Patterson (The Vast of Night) almost overdoses on quirks as it affectionately pokes fun at backwoods sensibilities, blending some big laughs with heartfelt sincerity.

Like its titular protagonist, the film leans into its eccentricities while yielding an offbeat sweetness in more ways than one. However, The Rivals of Amziah King also has a sharp sting that leaves its mark.

Rated R, 130 minutes.