Review of All the Pretty Horses (2000) by Blair M — 15 Jul 2011

1949: When his city living mother sells the family ranch John Grady Cole (Matt Damon) and his best friend Lacey Rawlins (Henry Thomas) saddle up the horses and head south for Mexico. Along the way they are joined by 13 year old runaway Jimmy Bleavins (Lucas Black). In Mexico the young Cole well find love in the arms of the wealthy ranchers daughter (Penelope Cruz) though her family (Reuben Blades and Miriam Colon) dissaprove. Coles ideas of romanticism and adventure well soon be tested when he is falsely accussed of thievry and sent to a brutal Mexican prison.

Though advertised as a romance since its based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy (No Country For Old Men, The Road) we can be fairly certain that that notion won't survive to the end credits. Matt Damon and Henry Thomas give good performances but its the supporting cast that shines from Lucas Black (Bleavins says he ran away so his step daddy wouldn't lay a hand on him again, Thomas responds that he's taking dozens of beatings, Blacks look and silence at that says volumes about the boys reasons for runnning), to Colon (she gets between Cruz and Daimon, not because she doesn't like them but because she see's what they can't this will end badly) to Blades (admittadly one of my favorite supporting actors I don't see enough of him), to Julio Oscar Mechoso as the Mexican Police Capt. he has little time or pactence for rules and procedures well looking over his town, here his actions (executing Bleavins for horse theft and murder) are seen as a negative (though it has to be said that no one [erson comes off as a villian, and that Cole, the protagonist, ends up finding his and the story's Antagonist not in any of the other characters but in his own boyish notions), in another movie Mechoso's Capt would be the hero, the man who does what he believes he must to protect his town and its people (how many westerns like that are there).

A solid film, not perfect, but enjoyable, if the Mrs. is intent on you watching a "chick flick" with her, then this certainly wouldn't be too painful to sit threw.

Quibble: Have you seen Europien film? There's nudity all over the place so why do we bring these actress' over here and keep em clothed....ok I'm done sounding like the Neandrathal pig for today lol:).