(Front, l. to r.) Dir. David Pomes, and stars Polly Cole and Ryan Donawho discuss Cook County Credit: Photo by Richard Whittaker

Cook County debuted this week as part of the Lone Star States strand. This grim tale of rural meth users is so Texan it has a cameo by Houston Chronicle football journalist John McClain. But how did first-time writer/director David Pomes get that ultra-realistic effect of having every tweaker in the building sweating and looking like they’re about to pass out?

Simple. He shot the movie in Dolen and Cleveland, TX, in mid-summer. “It was 110 degrees, 100 percent humidity, and we had 35 people in this one small room with only one air conditioner, which they had to turn off when they started filming” explained Polly Cole, who plays Lucy, quasi-girlfriend to chief meth cook Bump (played by her former Line of Fire co-star Anson Mount.)

Cook County screens at 4pm, Wednesday March 12 and 4pm, Saturday March 15, at the Alamo Lamar.

This article appears in March 7 • 2008.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.