{{Short description|American drama film}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2012}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = The Dry Land | image = The Dry Land.jpg | producer = Heather Rae | director = Ryan Piers Williams | writer = Ryan Piers Williams | music = Dean Parks | cinematography = Gavin Kelly | editing = Sabine Hoffman | released = {{Film date|2010|1|24|Sundance|2010|7|30|United States}} | country = United States | language = English | runtime = 92 minutes | starring = Ryan O'Nan<br />America Ferrera<br />Wilmer Valderrama<br />Jason Ritter<br />Melissa Leo | distributor = Maya Entertainment<br>Freestyle Releasing<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Dry-Land-The#tab=summary |title=The Dry Land (2010) Financial Information |website=The Numbers |access-date=2023-04-09}}</ref> | gross = $11,777<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dryland.htm|title=The Dry Land (2010)|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=March 17, 2013}}</ref> }}
'''''The Dry Land''''' (also known as '''''American Tragic''''') is a 2010 American drama film written and directed by Ryan Piers Williams. The film stars Ryan O’Nan, America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Ritter, and Melissa Leo. It premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and opened in limited release on July 30, 2010.
==Plot== {{More plot|date=November 2015}}
James returns from Iraq to face a new battle readjusting to small-town life in Texas. His wife, his mother, and his friend provide support, but they cannot fully understand the pain and suffering he feels since his tour of duty ended. Lonely, James reconnects with an army buddy, Raymond, who provides him with compassion and friendship during his battle to process his experiences in Iraq. But their reunion also exposes the different ways that war affects people, at least on the surface.
==Cast== {{Cast listing| *Ryan O'Nan as James *America Ferrera as Sarah *Wilmer Valderrama as Raymond Gonzales *Jason Ritter as Michael *Ethan Suplee as Jack *Melissa Leo as Martha *June Diane Raphael as Susie *Evan Jones as Joe Davis *Ana Claudia Talancón as Adriana *Sasha Spielberg as Sally *Barry Shabaka Henley as Colonel Stephen Evans *Benito Martinez as David Valdez *Diego Klattenhoff as Henry *Misty Upham as Gloria *Jenny Gabrielle as Tina *Jeremiah Bitsui as Luis }}
==Reception== <!--{{As of|September 2025}}-->On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 67% of 24 critics gave the film a positive review, with a rating average of 5.52/10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dry_land/|title=The Dry Land|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=September 11, 2025}}</ref> {{Metacritic film prose|score=47 |count=10 |ref=yes|access-date=September 11, 2025}}
''Entertainment Weekly'' gave the film a "B" grade and praised Ryan O'Nan's "quietly riveting performance as an Iraq-war veteran who comes undone after he returns home to dusty Texas (the filmmaker's home turf)".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Schwarzbaum |first=Lisa |url= https://ew.com/article/2010/07/28/dry-land/ |title=The Dry Land |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=July 28, 2010 |access-date=April 9, 2023}}</ref>
The film received Imagen Awards nominations for best feature film and for America Ferrera as best actress.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nominees for 25th Annual Imagen Awards Announced |url=http://www.imagen.org/news/imagen-awards/2010/07/nominees-25th-annual-imagen-awards-announced |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210063309/http://www.imagen.org/news/imagen-awards/2010/07/nominees-25th-annual-imagen-awards-announced |archive-date=December 10, 2011 |access-date=April 9, 2023 |website=Imagen Awards }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100125194957/http://www.thedrylandmovie.com/ Official website] * {{IMDb title|1322264}} * {{Rotten-tomatoes|dry_land|The Dry Land}} * {{Metacritic film|title=The Dry Land}} * {{Mojo title|dryland|The Dry Land}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dry Land}} Category:2010 films Category:2010 drama films Category:2010 independent films Category:American drama films Category:Films about post-traumatic stress disorder Category:Films about veterans Category:Films set in Texas Category:2010 English-language films Category:2010 American films Category:English-language independent films Category:English-language drama films