Hadn't seen a western in a while, so I was really looking forward to this one.
The Homesman stars Hillary Swank as a strong-willed, confident and resourceful woman living by herself in a small pioneer community in western Nebraska during the 1870s (?). The harshness of living on the front range is hard on everyone, but three women in the area have become mentally unstable living in the unfriendly and unforgiving life on the open prairie. The women need to be taken back east to a church in Iowa where the minister and his wife will care for these women who have lost their minds and are about to lose their lives. Swank is the only one strong enough and has the resources to take these women on their journey, so she signs up.
While procuring her wagons, horses and supplies for the trip, she comes across a low-life squatter played by Tommy Lee Jones. Jones has been routed out of the cabin he had been squatting in and was left to die in the wilderness when Swanks saves his life. He agrees to repay her for saving him by going on the trip, as long as she pays him $300 when the women are delivered to the minister.
The trip is perilous as the group must face difficulties with the weather, Indians, other travelers and even themselves. The three mentally ill women present challenges themselves and are like an albatross hanging round the neck of Swank and Jones, making the journey even more difficult. There is a surprising twist at the end of the story that is quite dramatic and alters the direction of the movie, almost to the point where the ending is anti-climactic. I really was into this movie, but the last 20 minutes left me flat and wondering why the writer took it in the direction that he did. I realize it was a powerful statement, but the movie just drifted toward the ending, which I found a little disappointing.
I liked the first 90 minutes of the movie, but the last 15 minutes was just so-so. With that said, this one barely makes a 7 out of 10 Sooner Schooners.
The Homesman stars Hillary Swank as a strong-willed, confident and resourceful woman living by herself in a small pioneer community in western Nebraska during the 1870s (?). The harshness of living on the front range is hard on everyone, but three women in the area have become mentally unstable living in the unfriendly and unforgiving life on the open prairie. The women need to be taken back east to a church in Iowa where the minister and his wife will care for these women who have lost their minds and are about to lose their lives. Swank is the only one strong enough and has the resources to take these women on their journey, so she signs up.
While procuring her wagons, horses and supplies for the trip, she comes across a low-life squatter played by Tommy Lee Jones. Jones has been routed out of the cabin he had been squatting in and was left to die in the wilderness when Swanks saves his life. He agrees to repay her for saving him by going on the trip, as long as she pays him $300 when the women are delivered to the minister.
The trip is perilous as the group must face difficulties with the weather, Indians, other travelers and even themselves. The three mentally ill women present challenges themselves and are like an albatross hanging round the neck of Swank and Jones, making the journey even more difficult. There is a surprising twist at the end of the story that is quite dramatic and alters the direction of the movie, almost to the point where the ending is anti-climactic. I really was into this movie, but the last 20 minutes left me flat and wondering why the writer took it in the direction that he did. I realize it was a powerful statement, but the movie just drifted toward the ending, which I found a little disappointing.
I liked the first 90 minutes of the movie, but the last 15 minutes was just so-so. With that said, this one barely makes a 7 out of 10 Sooner Schooners.
