December 19, 2014

A homesman is someone tasked to bring people back to their homes. In this film, the people that needed safe transport are three mentally- disturbed women. Mary Bee McCuddy, a plain but hardy spinster, volunteered to be their homesman. Along the way, she rescues a old man Thomas Briggs from being hung by vigilantes and conscripts him to help her with her mission in exchange for saving his life. Together, they gather the three ladies and escort them from Nebraska homes across the dangerous Midwest prairie to a safe haven in Iowa.

Hilary Swank is an actress who had already won a couple of Oscars for playing strong women who had taken on masculine roles in life -- Brandon Teena in "Boys Don't Cry" and Maggie Fitzgerald in "Million Dollar Baby". As Mary Bee McCuddy, a pioneer lady who bravely accepts a task only men are expected to do, Swank again goes on the same award-baiting path. The movie worked so well when Swank was on screen. She was absolutely compelling in this offbeat role as if this was written with her in mind. The movie was not the same when her character was not there.

Tommy Lee Jones is one actor who, as of late, had seemingly been confined to playing curmudgeonly and cantankerous old men, and his Briggs here is not any different. This film is only Jones' second directorial effort since his critically-acclaimed debut in "Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" back in 2005. As director, he was very generous to his lead female star Swank, and always gave way to let her shine. As actor, he does consistently as he is expected but this role of a grumpy old outlaw seems too familiar for him already. He wisely played Briggs with some self-deprecating humor to break the tendency of the story to become monotonously bleak.

There were some remarkable cameos from other award-winning or nominated stars in much smaller roles. John Lithgow is his usual capable self playing the Reverend Dowd who reluctantly sends McCuddy off on her task. Hailee Steinfeld plays 16-year old Tabitha Hutchinson to whom Briggs offers a surprising proposal. James Spader, in his usual over-the-top style, plays condescending hotel owner Aloysius Duffy. And last, but definitely not the least, none other than THE Meryl Streep plays perfectly kind and hospitable Altha Carter, who runs the institution in Iowa the women are headed for. These actors appear on screen for only ten minutes or so, but they leave a lasting impression.

The narrative may have been slow and desolate . However, the unusual situations, disturbing imagery, startling story developments and committed performances by the cast all keep our attention riveted. The cinematography with the muted colors worked well with the windswept landscape of its setting, as much a character in itself. The costumes and production design rang true to its mid-19th century time period. The haunting and unsettling musical score create an atmosphere of bitter emptiness. The insufferably miserable topic is clearly not for everyone. But for those who decide to give it a chance, the rewards will be satisfying. 7/10.

I enjoy a good western but it would not be fair to this Tommy Lee Jones production to classify it as such without emphasizing the film is more than just a wagon trail journey of two unlikely characters across the rough and unforgiving western terrain. No, it is the story of two unlikely characters, a single and strong willed farmer named Mary Bee Cuddy played by Hilary Swank and a thieving drifter named George Briggs played by Tommy Lee Jones who agree to transport three women by wagon with real psychiatric (madness) problems from Nebraska to Idaho.

There have been hundreds of relatively good westerns produced in the past half century where the hero and heroine remain strong and stoic whilst riding through the barren lands their suits and dresses remain pressed and in pristine condition while their hair is coiffed perfectly, and miraculously the heroine's makeup never dries, cracks or runs. Well such is not the case in the Homesman.

Hilary Swank has never been afraid to shed the glamor of Hollywood and for her role as the stubborn, single, and capable farmer Mary Bee Cuddy the potential suitors that she asks to marry her turn her down and explain that she is far too plain looking, sexless, and too controlling in nature. So Mary Bee Cuddy agrees to make the arduous journey across the western plains maybe in the hope of finding a suitor in Idaho as she has run out of potential suitors in Nebraska and seems to be losing hope in raising a family on her own farm in Nebraska.

As Mary Bee Cuddy commences her journey she comes across someone even more homely and desperate than herself in the name of aging drifter George Briggs who is within minutes of losing his life at the end of a rope for illegally claiming mining rights to another persons staked property. The terms set forth by Mary Bee Cuddy before she will agree to free George Briggs from his futile situation and imminent death by hanging are simple. He must first agree to travel across the western plains of Nebraska to assist Mary Bee Cuddy in the transportation of three insane women to a church in Idaho where they will receive the care and attention they will require to survive.

And so the two hardened caretakers and their three insane passengers set out on their journey which I found to be not like any other western I had previously seen. This is not a humorous and light hearted western but a tough, grueling, and sad journey with what I was surprised provided unexpected results. Some people may not be happy with the last 30 minutes of this feature film, but this is actually where writer/actor/director Tommy Lee Jones hooked me with what I felt was a good feature film that ended strongly.

There are numerous cameos throughout the film including standout performances by Tim Blake Nelson as a lonesome cowboy, John Lithgow as Reverend Dowd, and Jesse Plemons as a derelict husband to one of the insane women. Look for mother Meryl Streep in Idaho as the Reverends wife Altha Carter who enjoys sharing the screen with her real life daughter Grace Gummer who plays one of the three insane women Arabella Sours.

I give the film a good 7 out of 10 rating.

The Homesman is directed by Tommy Lee Jones, who also co-adapts the screenplay from Glendon Swarthout's novel with Kieran Fitzgerald and Wesley A. Oliver. It stars Jones, Hilary Swank, Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto and Sonja Richter. Music is by Marco Beltrami and cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto.

Three women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported East across the country to Iowa. When the men of the town refuse to stand up and be counted, single, pious and independent- minded Mary Bee Cuddy (Swank), enrols for the task. Recruiting scallywag drifter George Briggs (Jones) to aid the journey, it becomes an arduous journey that will make or break both of them.

The Homesman is a tricky Western, revisionist of heart and blood, and grim in nature, it's got a narrative that has (and will continue to do so) invited criticism from different quarters. It has been called misogynistic on one side of the fence, and feminist on the other! While there is a humongous narrative jump that has been lauded as great from some, and a film killer by others. The truth is that only each viewer can judge from their own personal perspectives. Personally I think that Jones has blended both the former angles to perfection, whilst the latter issue is to me an outstanding and brave piece of film.

The life of the pioneer women is shatteringly brought into sharp focus, right from the off there's brutality blended with utter sadness as Jones the director cuts no corners in setting up the film. Big question then hits us in the face - just how did the Old West deal with those suffering mental disturbance? In this instance it's to pack them off to the East where they will be tended by a minister and his wife (the latter of which played by Meryl Streep in little more than a cameo). The three women are vividly portrayed by Otto, Gummer and Richter, but this aspect of the film is only a side-bar to the crux of the story.

This is of course about Mary Cuddy and George Briggs, a man and woman at total different ends of the spectrum. She's sad at being alone without a man, he's more than happy to be without a woman. Everything suggests that this is going to be "one of those films" where opposites find a soul mate, but Jones and his backers may not be reverting to type? I mean for a start how interesting to find this journey going from West to East, that says much about the film right there, a pioneer journey in reverse. While the prominent ladies here may be mad, abused or needy, you will be searching far and wide for a decent man in this here tale.

The landscapes are deftly photographed by Prieto, eye opening but never to the detriment of the narrative thrust of pioneer hardship. Betrami lays ethereal piano and string arrangements all over the piece, while joining Streep in short bursts of cameo characterisations are James Spader, John Lithgow, William Fitchner, Hailee Steinfeld and Tim Blake Nelson, that's quite an armoury of performers. Even if you can't help but want more from them all.

But it's Swank and Jones, a superb pairing, who give the grade "A" performances. Jones lifts his old cantankerous ruffian character to greater heights, making Briggs the anti-hero to the anti-hero. While Swank hasn't been this great for a long time, making Mary Cuddy strong and inspiring, yet also evidently suffering inner turmoil. Swank's turn epitomises The Homesman, shrewd and insightful, humane and heartfelt. Top stuff all round, it's great to see modern directors confident enough to make biting moody Westerns. 9/10