Wild Horses

source: Wild Horses

I adore Josh Hartnett and Robert Duvall. I am 'so sad' that the actors chosen to play the Rangers were so horrible, that even they must cry themselves to sleep at night for being so devoid of talent. Sadly, its not just those actors, but also the timing in the dialogue along with multiple directing errors; it was to the point that even changing scenes seemed to be an impossible feat. Josh did amazingly well considering the circumstances, but it is sad to see that an actor of his caliber was convinced to do this movie. Duvall did well in regards to his acting (in a way I would expect, as a fan of his), but by Duvall producing and directing this...I don't think we will see him again anytime soon. Unless, of course, he produces and pays for something better the next round (hopefully without actors with familial relations being used in the credits and deemed, 'actress'). Someone please! Call the casting director for all the rangers and Blacklist THEM!

Scott Briggs (Duvall) is suspected of killing Jimmy Davis, his son Ben's (James Franco) gay lover 15-years ago and the Texas Rangers open the cold case. That is the main thrust in here, everything else is a disjointed v distraction. The script is bad, the acting by Duvall is not good and we are getting tired of him acting like a perpetual curmudgeon. Hey, it worked when he was Gus in Lonesome Dove but not in here. Everything he did was forced and had us cringing. Maybe writing, directing, acting and producing all of this took it's toll. Who knows? It just wasn't good. Notables: James Franco as Ben who comes back for the reading of the Will (yes, while Scott is still alive) and he tries to bond with his father; Josh Hartnett as KC, Scott's son; Devon Abner as Johnny, another son of Scott Briggs. However some scenes with them were awkward and forced. Luciana Pedraza as Samatha the Texas Ranger Detective seemed too tense throughout and kind of unsure of her presence. Many scenes were awkward and forced, but the real culprit is the script. Very bad. The story jumped around too much and we were not sure just what this movie was about. Sub plots: Jim Parrack as Sheriff's Deputy Rogers involved in watching Texas Ranger Samantha for Scott Briggs, and also involved in drug running; the reading of the Will when Briggs' sons find out that they have a sister in Maria (Angie Cepeda). If you keep in mind that the Texas Rangers are focusing on Scott Briggs as they feel he was somehow involved in the disappearance of Jimmy Davis 15-years ago, you should be okay. There is a resolution and we were not happy with it. Came up abruptly and we didn't believe it. Will you? (3/10) Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Soft stuff.

This film starts with some of the worst acting i've ever seen. I gave it ten minutes and things picked up a little with Josh Hartnett and Robert Duvall on screen together but the minute Duvall is left with a different actor it all go's to pot again, he becomes as awkward and one dimensional as the rest of the cast (Hartnett and Franco aside). Only watched because i like Duvall, i won't make that mistake again... Time he retired!!! Watch for the first scene between Hartnett and his son... I'm still holding my head in my hands in disbelief... Such an inappropriate conversation, it just felt really awkward!

This was an authentic film with real-world family and moral issues. If you want to live with your head in the sand instead of facing the real world, and want to watch something politically correct, or like mom & apple pie, or be entertained by flashy personality, watch something like the more Hollywood style and simplistic stereotyped characters in Walker Texas Ranger (which is entertaining but totally fake.) I noticed many reviewers who did not like this movie were from foreign countries, more urban or conservative parts of the US who may not understand the historical or cultural conflicts and complex characters in this movie, but that is their problem, not the movies'. The lady ranger character, who has been often criticized in reviews as not having enough pizazz, was portrayed as having nerves of steel, and wasn't supposed to be the Sandra Bullock character in Miss Congeniality (which I loved as well for totally different reasons.) There is a difference between poorly acted and not liking the character. It is refreshing to see many types of actors portraying an inter-weaved set of characters that mirror the complexity, love, and frustration that is real life.

Those seeking for a detective movie might be disappointed. Wild Horses is first and foremost a family drama, while the investigation part takes secondary priority. It provides solid emotional scenes, mainly thanks to the veteran cast and the personal premise, although the pace is unfortunately slow. It may not appeal to anyone since it will take nearly an hour before the momentum actually builds up, furthermore the crime element is considerably weak. Story follows the sheriff from small desert town who opens a cold case concerning a missing boy. It happened fifteen years ago, so understandably it rattles some people, especially the Briggs family. It becomes clear early on that Luciana Pedraza as the sheriff is not in the same league as the rest of the cast, which is unfortunate since her perspective, while not in the same volume of the family's, is still crucial to the plot. Additionally, there is very thin material for the crime aspect, it could have been skimped to minor subplot, yet the movie invests quite a lot on the police angle. The rest of the time is focused on dialogues in the Briggs family. The Briggs are very rich family and very patriarchy, they also harbors a lot of secrets. Duvall plays as Scott, the head of the family and he delivers a very convincing performance. He keeps the interest of his family first, although this might collide with the tragedy of the past. Josh Hartnett has added depth on his character. He looks straightforward or rigid, but can also be passionately aggressive. The youngest son Ben is played by James Franco and he might be hust the nicest and honest amongst all. Between the three of them the acting is highly presentable, but since the screenplay consists of slow pace conversations, it can be tedious at times. It has the good intention on delivering very private issue by the perspective of an entire family. However, the inconsistent delivery and tired pacing might not be refined enough to deliver the intended message.

This film was a big disappointment Seemed to be all over the place and the acting, outside of the major talent was terrible. Duvall's wife while very attractive (her best scenes are showing off her body) can not act... her acting style was reminiscent of the wooden acting of Delores Taylor (Jane) in the old Billy Jack movies. Her character's Texas Ranger response to being shot at was not human and after her attempted murder scene, nothing happens. She catches the shooter but apparently the Texas Rangers don't make an attempt to figure out who the shooter is or his connection to the local street gang. Also the gay sub-plot was very trite along with the surprise discovery of the daughter by way of the hacienda maid. Some moments were nice, the range scenes were nicely shot, but not worth the on-demand price.

i really enjoyed this film. it tells a few stories about an old mans life and mistakes. i really enjoyed the way it was filmed and the dialogue . no stupid noise noise ,no childish explosions,just a great film with a story. it made a refreshing change. a great film,for mature and patient people.it seems to have been given bad reviews in some places,maybe thats due to the times we live in,when style over content is king. most don,t seem to have the will to sit and watch a good story unfold. yes this tale may have told before,but not with such grace.nothing is new in film any more,but for me this claims some dignity back to film makers. mr.duval has done a fine job. good acting all round.

The first part of the film was a little erratic, jumping abruptly from one situation to another. Not sure if that was intentional or if editing created continuity issues. Also in the beginning some of the minor actors seemed to be quite literally reading their lines from a teleprompter that wasn't keeping up. If you stuck with it, things did improve. Duvall both starred in the film and wrote it. He was, as always, excellent and I'm impressed that he (apparently?) came up with the story idea. Possibly he personally had some past demons he wished to put to rest. It deals with a Texas rancher coming to terms with changing times, a need to address past wrongs and an attempt to reconstitute a family that his attitudes and behavior had torn apart. His efforts are not entirely successful in many ways and yet may have been the catalyst for some painful healing nonetheless. James Franco was quite good. His acting is so much better when Seth Rogan is not involved. Maybe a hint of James Dean dealing with father-son alienation but with more understated drama. Josh Hartnett was also excellent. It is not really a feel-good sort of movie, but there is a comforting sense that some things are changing for the better no matter how painful the process.

I'm giving it a little higher rating than it may deserve because I can't believe the rating it currently has. This movie is very well done, good acting, and Robert Duvall is boulder among rocks. If you want to watch the same formulaic films over and over, this is not for you. I like a variety of films and this one delivers a nice drama, with good acting, almost like reading a book. A couple of the actors have English as a second language and I found that interesting and authentic. Anyway, it is a helluva lot better than a 5+. Now I have to write additional text to submit this review. I am perplexed by this obligation. I guess I'll have to add content that is not really relevant to this film. I recommend you check out all of Duvall's films, starting with The Great Santini. Okay, sorry for the last paragraph but this is my first review and, again, I don't see the relevancy of needing to submit a minimum of 10 lines.