All the Pretty Horses (2000)

Very well executed

Must See Movie...

Don't listen to the negative reviews

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I wish that I had seen this sweeping saga on the big screen, not because this is an excellent film, but because it looks so darn good. It's an interesting but flawed tale of two friends whose decision to cross the wall-less Rio Grande from Texas over to Mexico turns out to be an adventure of a lifetime, although one filled with some moments they would rather not have gone through. It's sort of a modern day version of the story of Job with a rather confusing structure, sometimes violent, often poetic, and overwhelmingly frustrating. It's a film with many dimensions that tries too hard to pull all the elements together. The presence of a third party stirs up even more trouble for Matt Damon and Henry Thomas, and whether or not this pesky kid is guilty of horse theft is never revealed, only assumed. But the two end up in a Mexican prison, one of them deals with family honor concerning spoiled rich Mexican girl Penelope Cruz, and one of them ends up on the run with a Mexican police captain as a hostage. In small roles, Miriam Colon (as Cruz's part understanding/part domineering aunt) and Bruce Dern (as a compassionate judge) make quite an impression. This is a film that I wish I could rate higher, but my gutt tells me that as profound as it strives to be, it's rather empty.

I do not know if it could be considered a good film. maybe, a correct one. because it has many virtues who define a beautiful storytelling, smart trip across delicate themes, the meet with real admirable actors - Miriam Colon is an example, the great performance of Lucas Black. a western who preserves a special air. not always credible, not always coherent, but giving that beauty who determine you see it again. for a specific scene, for a specific actress/actor or , maybe, for the flavor of a state of soul. so, a film full with virtues. this is all !

The storyline sounded like a classic 'western' adventure; it turned out to be just that. Newer, 21st century westerns are expected to showcase the scenery with as much cinematographic style as can be mustered; in this movie, there could have been more resources dedicated to the cinematography, but it is still very beautiful to watch. Matt Damon has made just a few 'western' movies, his first with none other than Robert Duval and Gene Hackman as the co-starring leads (in Geronimo). The only other that comes to mind is 'True Grit (2010)'. Only in '…Pretty Horses' does he have the lead role; that role was a demanding one because he is in almost every scene and he has to ride bucking horses, rodeo style. It hurt just watching him be thrown off the horse (I'll assume some of the rides were done by stunt-men because no guy from Boston could take that kind of abuse). I liked the adventurous story, the beautiful Penélope Cruz and all I can think of to improve the movie would have been to throw in a cameo by Duval or Tommy Lee Jones perhaps.

Just as Matt Damon was able to cast aside his New England accent for a Tennessee one in The Rainmaker and use it to great affect in Good Will Hunting, he cast aside again for the Texas tones needed for All The Pretty Horses. The man's got a good ear for speech idiom, he could be a worthy successor to Robert Mitchum in that department.From a novel by Cormac McCarthy and directed by Billy Bob Thornton who also has a good ear and feel for idiom and mores of the Southwest, All The Pretty Horses is about a couple of friends who go across the border into Mexico for work. Damon's been cheated out of a ranch he was expecting to inherit and he and friend Henry Thomas go south. They find both work and trouble and Damon finds romance. How they all intertwine is the story of All The Pretty Horses.Damon's romance is with Penelope Cruz, the daughter of Ruben Blades the owner of the ranch they find work on, breaking mustangs. The two come up against both Latino culture and Texas culture and how they really clash. Trouble starts for Damon and Thomas though when they pick up young runaway kid Lucius Black who's got some real issues with authority and a bad upbringing. His actions start the trouble for everyone involved.But Black in fact steals the film from the more well known stars. I'm surprised he wasn't considered Oscar material for Best Supporting Actor. His performances succeeds on so many levels as likable, goofy, but definitely trouble riding a horse.All The Pretty Horses is a good film where director Billy Bob Thornton does a great job with his cast and with capturing the mood and ambiance of that Rio Grande border country on both sides.