Death in Texas is a western thriller drama set in El Paso, Texas. A high-toned voice over sets the mood of the film, suggesting that it is going to be a story, covered in shades of “grey.” From the moment thereon, you leave your judgement of good and bad behind, and concentrate on a flawed protagonist, trying to re-settle in a community. The film directed and written by Scott Windhauser follows a journey of a man who fails to make a distinction between good and bad, and in the end decides what his heart thinks is the best he can do. Let’s get to know him more.
Plot Summary
Billy Walker has spent 7 years in a federal prison for murder. The film begins as two officers decide whether Billy should be released on Parole or not. Mr. Walker pleads that he is a single child of his widowed mother, Grace Andrews and he needs to care for her. With a bit of hesitation, the officers decide to release him to the society.
When Billy reaches El Paso, he learns about his mother’s damaged liver. A doctor informs him that she has only 6 months to live and urgently needs a liver transplant. However, she has an incredible rare blood group, i.e. AB-, and arranging the liver would cost the family 160 thousand dollars.
Without wasting any moment, Billy hunts for jobs but his ex-felon status diminishes his chances. Left with no other option, Billy re-enters the evil world, he swore not to visit again.
Major Spoilers Ahead
‘Death in Texas’ Ending Explained
Billy stole the money from the drug cartel to arrange a new liver for his mother. However, little did he know that the male-nurse, John who was looking after his mother in the hospital (with whom she fell in love with) was the father of the boy Billy killed before going to jail. But why did he murder that guy?
Billy’s mother, Grace used to work as a waitress. On an unfortunate night, a random boy slapped her for reasons unknown. Billy couldn’t control his rage and thrashed the boy uncontrollably, thereby killing him on the spot.
In the present, John in the hospital read Grace’s surname as Andrews, which she got from her other marriage. He didn’t know that she was the mother of Mr Walker, the man who killed his son. When John learnt about it, he wanted to redeem the past because his mother loved John more than anything else.
After stealing from the cartel, Billy learnt that it had been too late to arrange a liver for her mother. Thus, he decided to pacify with John, and donate his liver to her mother, as they both shared the same blood group.
When Drug lord, Old Reynolds came hunting for Billy, he found him dead in the hospital. The money Billy stole from him also disappeared.
In the end, it was revealed that det. John Wayne Asher didn’t kill Billy when he had his chance because Billy informed him about imprisoned girls in the house of Reynolds’s dealer. Wayne concluded that Old Reynolds was not only dealing with drugs but also girls and children. A case of human trafficking. His consciousness didn’t allow him to shoot Billy, and it also made him lie to Reynolds about Billy’s mother and the stolen money.
The last sequence followed Wayne on Old Reynolds’ farm where he shot the man. It was revealed that Wayne found 32 DNA in a six year old little girl. It suggested that she was raped. And the mastermind behind the vile network was Reynolds. After shooting the monster, Wayne informed the control panel, but dropped his badge before leaving. The action suggested that he was leaving the job and running away, because a cartel would come for him. But in his consciousness, Wayne did the right thing. The grey area, separated distinctly from good and bad.
Death in Texas is a 2021 western thriller film directed by Scott Windhauser.
