Americana (2025) Trailer, Cast, Plot, Release Date & additional details

Americana is a 2023 American crime thriller with elements of dark comedy and neo-Western, written and directed by Tony Tost in his feature directorial debut. It stars Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey (in her first major acting role), Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, and Simon Rex. The film premiered at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival on March 17, 2023, and is set for a theatrical release on August 22, 2025, distributed by Lionsgate.

Plot

Set in a small South Dakota town, Americana revolves around a rare Lakota Ghost Shirt, a sacred Native American artifact believed to grant spiritual power, which hits the black market. The story follows a group of outsiders and outcasts whose lives violently intertwine as they pursue the artifact for different reasons—wealth, freedom, or cultural restoration.

• Penny Jo Poplin (Sydney Sweeney), a shy waitress with a speech impediment, dreams of becoming a country singer in Nashville and sees the shirt’s half-million-dollar value as her ticket out. She teams up with Lefty Ledbetter (Paul Walter Hauser), a lovelorn military veteran, to steal it.
• Mandy Starr (Halsey), a tough, grungy woman with a mysterious past, is caught up in the chase, clashing with Penny Jo in a tense, comedic standoff.
• Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon) and Hank Spears (Derek Hinkey), Native American characters, aim to recover the shirt for its rightful tribal home.
• Other players include small-time crook Dillon Macintosh (Eric Dane) and scheming hustler Roy Lee Dean (Simon Rex), adding to the chaotic pursuit.

The non-linear narrative, filled with rapid-fire dialogue and gratuitous violence, blends Tarantino-esque crime drama with Western tropes, subverting expectations while exploring themes of greed, identity, and the legacy of the American West.

Cast and Characters

• Sydney Sweeney as Penny Jo Poplin: A vulnerable yet determined waitress with a stammer, inspired by Dolly Parton, whose aspirations drive her into the heist. Sweeney’s performance is noted for its quiet desperation and charm.
• Paul Walter Hauser as Lefty Ledbetter: A romantic but awkward veteran who partners with Penny Jo, bringing heart and humor to the story. Their chemistry is described as “sweet” and spontaneous.
• Halsey as Mandy Starr: A standout in her acting debut, Halsey plays a fierce, magnetic character with a painful past, earning praise for holding her own against Sweeney and Hauser.
• Zahn McClarnon as Ghost Eye: A Native American leader seeking to reclaim the artifact, adding depth to the film’s cultural commentary.
• Eric Dane as Dillon Macintosh: A small-time hoodlum involved in the shirt’s black-market dealings.
• Simon Rex as Roy Lee Dean: A scheming figure in the artifact chase, contributing to the film’s eccentric ensemble.

Supporting roles include Gavin Maddox Bergman, Toby Huss, Harriet Sansom Harris, Derek Hinkey, and Joe Adler, among others.

Production and Style

Filmed in New Mexico in February 2022, Americana (originally titled National Anthem) was produced by Bron Studios and Saks Picture Company, with Lionsgate acquiring worldwide distribution rights in March 2024 after Bron’s bankruptcy delayed the process. The film’s crafts team includes cinematographer Nigel Bluck, production designer Russell Barnes, and composer David Fleming, contributing to its sun-soaked, melancholic aesthetic.

Stylistically, Americana is a hybrid of neo-Western and crime drama, with a comedic tone and influences from Quentin Tarantino and the Coen Brothers. It features vast landscapes, gallows humor, and a mix of gritty action and heartfelt moments. Critics note its playful subversion of Western tropes, like outdated cowboy and Native American stereotypes, while paying homage to the genre’s iconography.

Reception

Americana holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on six reviews, praised for its compelling performances, sharp writing, and fresh take on the Western. Critics highlight Halsey’s magnetic debut, Sweeney and Hauser’s chemistry, and Tost’s ability to craft a lived-in world. Some, however, find it a standard Coen Brothers riff, not as twisty or funny as it aims to be. Audience reactions from SXSW were positive, with X posts calling it a “neo-western that puts eccentric characters in the spotlight.”

Key Details

• Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Rating: R (violence, language, some sexual references)
• Release: August 22, 2025 (theatrical); streaming release TBD
• Notable: The film’s Lakota Ghost Shirt ties to the historical Battle of Wounded Knee, grounding the story in the complex history of the American West.

Where to Watch

Americana will hit theaters on August 22, 2025. Streaming details are not yet available, but updates are expected closer to the release. For now, it’s not on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video. (Note: A different 2016 film titled Americana is available on Tubi.)

Why It Stands Out

The film’s blend of quirky characters, violent stakes, and cultural commentary makes it a unique addition to the neo-Western genre. Sweeney’s portrayal of a stammering dreamer, Halsey’s bold debut, and the ensemble’s eccentric dynamics elevate it beyond a typical crime thriller. Its exploration of who gets to claim “Americana” — and at what cost — adds depth to the action-comedy chaos.