Review of Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013) by Steve S — 08 Jan 2014

David Lowery has made an impressive first feature film with "Ain't Them Bodies Saints". He wrote and directed the movie. The cinematography is excellent at the hands of Bradford Young; long, beautiful shots give the movie a sense of longing and hope.??Bob (Casey Affleck) and Ruth (Rooney Mara), along with Freddy, have been brought up by Skerritt (Keith Carridine). All three of the young people in Skerritt's care are on the wrong side of the law. When they commit a robbery, there is a shoot-out with the cops. Freddy is killed, Ruth injures a deputy sheriff (Patrick Wheeler, played by Ben Foster), and Bob takes the fall for Ruth and is sentenced to prison. Ruth has Bob's baby, a little girl named Sylvie. Bob writes to Ruth and is committed to return to his family. Ruth lives in a house given to her by Skerritt and provides a loving, stable home for Sylvie. Ruth, after being consumed with love for Sylvie, stops abandons Bob. She turns her back on the one person who gave up his freedom for her.

"Ain't Them Bodies Saints"is a story about sacrifice and the risks of being played for a fool when you give everything for love. ??The film is set in the 1970's in Texas and it pays homage to the American Western. The acting is first rate and the photography is superb. The directing is where the film could use some work. Slow, slower, slowest, an otherwise good first attempt is dampened by excruciatingly slow pacing. Heart breaking and melancholy, this film is a good first effort by Lowery. I look forward to his future works.