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A writer/director of a grim and incisive persuasion who possesses a sometimes killer dark wit, Neal Jimenez first burst onto the scene with such critically acclaimed efforts as The River's Edge and Where the River Runs Black (both 1986). A native of Sacramento, Jiminez would lighten the mood somewhat with such sentimental efforts as For the Boys (1991) and The Waterdance (1992, which also served as his directorial debut) as he progressed in the film industry, though his later efforts, including Sleep With Me (1994) and Hideaway (1995), failed to help him maintain credibility. With such strong early works as The River's Edge and The Waterdance, it seemed that although he certainly possessed the skill to create compelling characters and situations, the years between those efforts and Hideaway had somewhat dulled his creative edge. In 1998, Jiminez expanded his creative capacities as the executive producer of the searing immigrant drama They Come at Night.