Review of The Homesman (2014) by Bentley F — 23 Jan 2015

An interesting directorial effort from veteran actor Tommy Lee Jones which plays to both his and his casts strengths in terms of characterisations and tone, with Hilary Swank as the lead, a stubborn and fiercely independent christian woman and notable home owner in the wilds of Nebraska looking for a partner to help burden the load to help ease the burden of her own depression.

When three woman of the township have breaks of varying sort, the communities minister looks to those able to help commute them to Iowa for proper treatment and shelter by the ministry there, and in the hopes of changing her condition to prevent the same, Swank takes the challenge.

Jones is there in a reliable supporting performance providing a little salt to Swank's steeliness until a second act twist, and plays a formidable partnership. The performances are solid and features some decent cameo like performances including Nelson, Streep, Otto, and several others, and the cinematography is starkly stunning.

At times the film has some moments almost like the classic There will be Blood and No Country for OLd Men which clearly was an inspiration for Jones. A tad ambiguous in resolution but an interesting journey.