Few films this year have blended Americana grit, outlaw energy, and Indigenous history quite like Americana. The 2025 crime thriller puts a valuable Lakota ghost shirt at the center of a violent, heartbreaking chase across South Dakota. Directed with a dusty, neo-Western flair, it’s as much about survival and greed as it is about cultural reclamation.
By the end, bullets fly, betrayals unfold, and only a few make it out alive. Let’s break down where each major character ends up and what it means for the story.
The Core Cast of Americana
Here’s a quick look at the ensemble at the heart of this bloody treasure hunt:
| Character | Actor | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Penny Jo | Sydney Sweeney | Country singer chasing Nashville dreams, needs fast cash |
| Lefty | Paul Walter Hauser | Penny’s boyfriend, loyal but in over his head |
| Mandy | Halsey | Survivor trying to escape an abusive partner with her son |
| Cal | Gavin Maddox Bergman | Mandy’s son, believes he’s the reincarnation of Sitting Bull |
| Roy Lee Dean | Simon Rex | Museum owner obsessed with Native artifacts |
| Ghost Eye | Zahn McClarnon | Leader of the Lakota Red Thunder Society, wants the shirt back |
| Dillon | Eric Dane | Mandy’s abusive partner who stole the shirt for Roy Lee Dean |
| Collector | Toby Huss | Wealthy art dealer from whom the shirt was first stolen |
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Mandy and Cal’s Escape
Mandy (Halsey) might just be the film’s emotional anchor. After fleeing her abusive partner Dillon, she takes off with the ghost shirt, only to land in even darker territory: her cult-like family compound in Wyoming.
Her son, Cal, insists throughout the film that he’s the reincarnation of Sitting Bull, a belief that isolates him even further. By the end, Cal finally drops his headband and embraces his mother. Mandy survives, badly injured but still standing, and reclaims her bond with her son. It’s one of the few hopeful notes in a brutal story.
Penny Jo and Lefty’s Tragic Road
Sydney Sweeney’s Penny Jo is all ambition a small-town dreamer who sees Nashville as her golden ticket. With Lefty at her side, they chase Mandy down for the shirt. Lefty, though, is driven more by love than money, and his devotion costs him dearly.
After a violent showdown, Penny Jo escapes with bags of cash, Cal in tow, and the ghost shirt briefly in her possession. But she ultimately lets Cal deliver the sacred garment to the Red Thunder Society.
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Lefty proposes to Penny Jo, only to die moments later from his gunshot wounds. In one of the film’s darkest images, Penny leaves him propped up in a field with a six-pack a haunting goodbye before she heads toward her uncertain Nashville future.
Roy Lee Dean’s Obsession Meets Its End
Roy Lee Dean (Simon Rex), the slick museum owner, sees the ghost shirt as his prize a way to pad his collection under the guise of preservation. His greed gets him killed at the hands of Ghost Eye in the climactic battle. His cash, ironically, ends up scattered among those who survived, with Penny Jo pocketing the lion’s share.
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The Red Thunder Society and Ghost Eye’s Victory
While much of Americana thrives on double-crosses and betrayals, the Red Thunder Society’s mission is clear: bring the ghost shirt home. Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon, in a quietly commanding performance) leads his group through bloodshed to reclaim their heritage.
In the end, Cal the boy who once believed himself to be Sitting Bull is the one who hands the shirt back to Ghost Eye. It’s a small but powerful gesture, a recognition that this history doesn’t belong in private hands or glass cases.
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The last scene is pure poetry: Penny Jo driving off into the horizon, bags of dirty money in the backseat, softly singing Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” It’s ironic, haunting, and oddly hopeful a fitting close for a story where no one gets everything they wanted, but some get just enough to survive.
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