All the Pretty Horses

Starring: Matt Damon, Penelope Cruz, Henry Thomas, Lucas Black, Sam Shepard, Robert Patrick
Directed by: Billy Bob Thornton
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Romance, Western
2000

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two Americans (Matt Damon, Henry Thomas) travel south to Mexico for work, but soon find themselves in trouble with the law.

Review:

Tim: I had high hopes for All the Pretty Horses. While the movie didn't actually look very good to me, it was based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy, and I really respect his work. I figured that at the very least, there was a strong source material (which is sometimes half the battle). I haven't read the book, so I have no idea how badly director Billy Bob Thornton adopted it. I would guess that it isn't all that great. This was a bloated, frustrating movie.

So, Thornton achieved some success with the legitimately good Sling Blade. It made sense for him to try his hand at directing again, especially when he had a great source to work from. Unfortunately, I feel like like directorial debut might have been a case of beginner's luck. The story had some very interesting themes and moments, but the movie just doesn't work. The film has some pacing problems and it just didn't flow. I did not understand what this movie was supposed to be about. It never rooted itself firmly in my mind. While I watched the film, I kept asking myself what was the point and why should I care? These are not the questions the audience should be asking itself.

One of my problems with this film is that it felt like Thornton was very focused on putting together individual scenes. There's some very good moments throughout this film. However, when a director is so focused on the short-term, immediate tasks, they can lose sight of the big picture. I felt like that was the problem here. I really don't believe that Thornton had any vision for this project. He was never clear on what it was he was trying to create, and the film suffers as a result. That's one of the big strengths of a director like Steven Spielberg- even when I dislike his films, I love that his vision is clear to the audience. I was very confused on what the message of this movie was supposed to be, and therefore, I didn't much care about what was happening on screen.

I actually really enjoyed the beginning of the film. Matt Damon and Henry Thomas are two cowboys, who set out for Mexico. Along the way, they meet Lucas Black, who is this cocky, naive, kid. They reluctantly join up. I loved many of these scenes, and I was really enjoying the cinematography and the feeling of solitude that you get under those huge expanses of sky in the West. Those scenes were very compelling. Unfortunately, when our protagonists get to Mexico, that's when the film falls apart. Black commits a sort-of crime and disappears. Damon and Thomas start training horses, which I found interesting. Damon starts a secret affair with Penelope Cruz. And then, all that momentum the film had been building disappears as our protagonists are thrown in jail. The movie becomes a prison film before continuing its spiral down. I really believe Thornton didn't know what he was doing, and as a result, we get a Western, a road trip movie, a coming-of-age story, a frowned-upon love story, a prison movie, a revenge tale, and more. It's just too much, and each of these pieces doesn't connect very well. It ends up being a disjointed mess.

I thought Matt Damon did a good job in the lead role. While it's not a terrific performance, the movie is greatly helped by his presence. I shudder to think of what this would have been without him here. Henry Thomas works well with Damon, but mostly gives a forgettable performance. I loved Lucas Black here, and believe he likely gave the best performance of the entire film. Penelope Cruz was given nothing interesting to do. Sam Shepard and Robert Patrick are both wasted in miniscule, pointless roles.

I do appreciate Billy Bob Thornton's ambition with creating this movie. The story is expansive and not easily adaptable. He manages to bring it to the big screen, which is impressive. Thornton also does create several powerful moments throughout the film. The beginning of the film is pretty incredible. Unfortunately, the story completely goes off the rails, and the later 2/3 of the way-too-long 116 minute movie doesn't work. All the Pretty Horses is an ambitious effort that crashes and burns before it can succeed.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Sling Blade, The Road