This is one of Redford's finest films--just terrific. Redford has a knack for choosing high quality projects--and for making nearly everything he touches a high quality project in any event.
This is a beautiful story with marvelous performances pretty much all around, but the key to this tale is the underlying novel and, of course, the marvelous script. The writing is what makes this movie soar--smart dialogue for adults. As usual for Redford's scripts, the dialogue is sparse, smart and emotional. Hard to beat those qualities.
Scarlett was very nice in this--quite good in spots, but not so much in others. Other actresses her age could have done as well or better, but I have no complaint about Redford's choice here for the role.
Kristin Scott Thomas was marvelous as the mother whose life is turned upside down by the tragedy of her daughter's accident. Sam Neill's character was in some ways the key to the story--that scene in the cabin with Scott Thomas in which he reveals his sense of things around the ranch was a thing of beauty.
And Redford's horseman cowboy was strong and sensitive, decisive and vulnerable. As with several Redford movies, I can watch this repeatedly--not often but regularly--and will enjoy it as much the last time as the first time, perhaps more.
reply
share