Review of Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013) by Manny C — 03 Sep 2013

If you're put off by that interesting title (it's taken from a country song) and think this tale of a love triangle in Texas is laced with poetic reveries that emphasize feelings rather than action, well, you're right. Ain't Them Bodies Saints is a wonderfully lyrical film that wouldn't be out of place in the Terrence Malick canon. It's that good.

Ain't Them Bodies Saints is a film of beauty, often brutal beauty, and it gets to you. Writer-director David Lowery (St. Nick) puts his tale in the bruising environment of the Texas Hill County circa the 1970's, where young outlaws Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) and Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara) are taken in when Ruth nearly kills a policeman, officer Patrick Wheeler (the excellent Ben Foster). But Bob takes the blame for the crime. Four years later Ruth is now a mom, to daughter Sylvie while father Bob has escaped form prison and Ruth finds herself developing deep feelings for Patrick.

It almost sounds contrived and familiar, but Lowery, with the aid of the wonderful cinematographer Bradford Young and his three leads transcend cliches and lift the material to the level of art. Mara and Affleck are electrifying together, especially in the film's opener which has them indulging in their romantic fantasies. And Foster is flat out amazing at creating Patrick's internal pain, particularly the pain of trying to articulate his feelings for Ruth, racked with her own conflicts. There are no easy answers on display in Ain't Them Bodies Saints, nor is there a neatly wrapped resolution and that's all for the good. It's a testament to Lowery's filmmaking skills and his no doubt bright future.