‘Buried in Barstow,’ a Lifetime original action-thriller film directed by Howard Deutch, is a dynamic and explosive affair with superb character acting from its broad cast ensemble. However, Angie Harmon’s nuanced portrayal as the no-nonsense female heroine Hazel, with a dash of humor, provides the film’s driving drive. Thematically, it is fair to argue that the film is separated into two halves. In the first installment, Hazel teaches Travis, Joy’s (Hazel’s) deceptive lover. Hazel encounters a grim past in the following chapter. As she approaches Las Vegas, the plot twists. However, following the mind-boggling ending, certain questions must be addressed. Let us go deeper into Hazel’s grievances. SPOILERS FOLLOW.

Plot Synopsis for Buried in Barstow

The film begins with a murder, and a narrator explains how a horrible past has been buried within her. Twenty years later, we arrive at the Bridges Diner, a wayside eatery in the Las Vegas suburbs. The cafe is owned by Hazel, her daughter Joy, and Javier, the cook. As is customary, Hazel had an awkward encounter with Willy, Rudy, and Carl before the counter in the morning. Joy requires the college money for no reason, and Hazel refuses to give it to her, but she does give the job to a supposedly homeless man who had ordered eighteen dollars in lunch with no money in his wallet.

The man is a cardiothoracic surgeon from Los Angeles who is fleeing his past after accidentally killing his wife. Elliot, the surgeon, is also somewhat decent at dishwashing. Meanwhile, Joy considers fleeing with her lover, Travis. When she is unable to get the money from her mother, Travis reveals his true colors, endangering Joy. Joy begs Hazel to forgive Travis, but she is not the type to sweep everything under the rug. She arrives at Travis’ machine shop, enraged and determined.

When Travis insults Hazel, she beats him to a pulp and burys him in a cemetery she dug the first time they met. Joy is concerned about Travis, but Hazel assures her that he has committed to return to California. Meanwhile, Phil appears at the diner, reminding Hazel of a part of herself she believed she had lost. Von, a criminal organization’s leader, has been released after serving a lengthy sentence, and he is back in business. Fearing for Joy’s safety, Hazel travels to Las Vegas to meet Von, who has a job for her. Perry Gamble, who must be found, must be met.

Why Did Hazel Leave Las Vegas at the end of Buried in Barstow? What Is Joy’s Father’s Name?

Joy has been curious about her father’s identity for a long time, but Hazel refuses to discuss it. However, when we go deeper into Hazel’s biography, we gain an indication about Joy’s father’s identity. When Hazel arrives to Von’s, he sends her to meet Perry Gamble. Hazel meets Perry in a city casino. We suspect Perry Gamble has something to do with Hazel’s disappearance from Las Vegas. As their chat reveals, Perry Gamble and Hazel were in love, which posed some danger to Hazel’s life.

When Perry asks Hazel why she left the city, she curiously says that if she stayed, she would not live to be thirty. On the first night, Hazel spikes Perry’s drink, but before he can finish it, he has to depart to attend to Mr. Chen, his Chinese investor. Perry reschedules the meeting, and Hazel is fairly cooperative under pressure. However, in the dying seconds, she gets an epiphany and understands that Perry will not be her last job. If she completes one assignment for Von, he will load him with additional. Von also believes that Hazel will be eternally grateful to him for rescuing her from the streets while she was high on narcotics.

As a result, Hazel eventually abandons Perry, leaving an envelope behind. Joy’s photo is in the envelope, with “Ours-H” inscribed on the back. As a result, we can establish that Perry is Joy’s father. It’s for the best, because Perry’s enraged wife arrives at the suite immediately after Perry receives the mail. Hazel, on the other hand, goes to see Von one last time. Von, not Perry, is the reason for Hazel’s departure since she knew the thug would endanger Joy’s life. And, judging on what happens later, Hazel’s revenge for Von appears to be intense.

Is Hazel still alive or dead?

After assaulting Phil, Hazel shoots Von through the head. With the gatekeeper, her death toll rises to three. After finally putting an end to the cartel, Hazel returns to her Bridges Diner. With Hazel shooting her adopted father, Von, we believe the story has found its logical conclusion. However, there is one more twist in the conclusion. Javier appears to be in gang trouble (after sheltering the homeless pregnant girl, whom he claims is his cousin) since Hazel comes out on the street to see a gang member beating up Javier. Hazel attempts to help Javier by kicking the assailant in the face.

But Hazel’s strength is no match for the other, more muscular individual. Meanwhile, the attacker Hazel kicks to the ground pulls out a gun and begins firing bullets. They drive away, taking Javi with them, while Hazel remains gravely wounded on the road. However, as the film concludes, Elliot appears to have gained some control of the situation. Elliot is a heart surgeon, after all, and he understands how to manage such circumstances. But, because he is a former Von associate, we don’t know for sure if Elliot is a doctor. But, for the most part, he comes across as a trustworthy individual. We believe Hazel still has life in her as he asks her to trust him. The film ends on a cliffhanger, but a “to be continued” keeps viewers speculating. However, another question remains.

Is Travis still alive or dead?

We almost forget about Travis when Hazel buries him in the desert until he appears in town at the last minute. Travis is shadowing Joy and Hazel as she chats to her. Joy asks Hazel if she can use the broncho, and we get the impression that Travis isn’t as dead as some of us assumed. Travis’s survival explains why his criminally affluent family isn’t seeking Hazel and Joy. However, many uncertainties remain, such as whether Hazel buried Travis. So, how is Travis still alive? How did he get out of the grave? Hazel seemed to have saved his life earlier by asking him to travel to California. Joy will encounter new challenges in life with Travis still alive and Hazel in the hospital.