Slow West

"A jack rabbit in a den of wolves."

After their collaboration together in two short films, John Maclean and Michael Fassbender team up for the director's feature debut in this originally fresh take on the Western genre. In Slow West we get a different glimpse of the West, avoiding the typical Americana style confrontation between cowboys and indians. Here we are introduced to a world where immigrants are trying to force their way through this lawless land. Surviving in this place has nothing to do with how well of a shot you are, it's more about luck and being at the right place at the right time. The story, which was written by Maclean, follows the journey of a 16 year old boy named Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who has traveled from Scotland to the West in search of Rose (Caren Pistorius), the woman he's in love with. Along with her father, John (Rory McCann), they had to flee from Scotland after an incident with Jay's father. Jay is clueless about the West, but determined. He runs into a former bounty hunter named, Silas (Michael Fassbender) who offers his service as his chaperon realizing he will need protection if he wants to survive in this place. What Jay doesn't know however is that there is a bounty for Rose and her father, and there are many people interested in collecting the reward. Among them there is the eccentric Payne (Ben Mendelsohn) who is an old acquaintance of Silas.

What the film does extremely well in Slow West is balance the western genre with a dry sense of humor. There are plenty of surprisingly funny moments in this film that help build the story. Through a series of fortunate (and misfortunate) events we follow these characters through their journey. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Michael Fassbender share strong chemistry together and keep us hooked during the slowly paced scene. There is a memorable scene that takes place in a store/bar during the first half of the film and a fantastic final shoot out at the end, which stands out from most Westerns. The film has a unique taste to it and some interesting characters, but the gorgeous cinematography is what stands out in this immense landscape. It's only 84 minutes long, but it is a perfect fit for this movie which ends in memorable fashion. It took its time to grow on me, but the more I think about it the more I end up liking this film. I've always been a huge fan of the Western genre, and adding Michael Fassbender to that mix only makes this an even more rewarding experience.

Slow West is stylish and uses its gorgeous landscape very well (it was actually filmed in New Zealand), but it also includes a dreamy atmosphere and plenty of humor. There is a scene during the beginning of the film where Jay is looking at the night stars and pointing his gun towards them and as he imaginarily shoots at them, they light up. There are plenty of dreamy sequences like this one, but there is also plenty of dry humor as well. There is a narration over a camp fire about an outlaw who wants his very own wanted poster. Ben Mendelsohn's eccentric coat is also a feast for the eyes which adds its comedic touch. Slow West has a great cast and it is a film worth recommending.

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(2015) Slow West WESTERN ART HOUSE

Written and directed by John Maclean directing art house movie of young Irish teenage boy, Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) attempting to find his young crush, Rose (Caren Pistorius ) when he used to live in Scotland, and hires bounty hunter, Silas Selleck (Michael Fassbender credited as co-executive producer) to locate the house she supposed to live in. You're basically watching it for the scenery and the picturesque landscapes regular movie watchers does not have time to do often. I'd put this movie in the same category as "Hostile" from 2017, "The Power of the Dog" made 2021 and "The Homesman" to name a few.

In what may be one of the most aptly-named films at this year's festival, Slow West is in no hurry to tell the story of Scotsman Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and his continent-spanning quest to find Rose (Caren Pistorius), the long-lost love from his hometown. Things get complicated when a desperado named Silas Selleck (Michael Fassbender) decides to accompany Cavendish on his journey—possibly to cash in on a bounty that hangs over Rose's head. Taking a cue from neo-westerns like Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man, Slow West uses the chaotic landscape of the American frontier as an allegorical exploration of love and death. There is something surreal about seeing the old west interpreted through the lens of New Zealand where the film was shot, and it added to the story's dreamlike tone. The immensely watchable Fassbender exudes some serious Han Solo vibes as he guides Cavendish through the unforgiving wilderness while trying to act like he doesn't give a crap. McPhee's boyish, innocent appearance is ideal for a character whose belief in true love has guided him so far into the lions' den. While the film's ending is sure to polarize audiences, it was a ballsy way to emphasize the point that the frontier was an ecosystem all its own, indiscriminately filling some hearts with purpose and others with bullets.

The first thing I noticed about Slow West is how much better Michael Fassbender's American accent has improved, especially in comparison to his drawl in 12 Years a Slave. There are still traces of his foreign heritage in his voice, but he's got the cadence and timbre of it down-pat here, which is certainly a boon here, as he also adopts the role of narrator in writer/director John Maclean's tough yet quietly funny romp through the frontier.

Why is it tough? Because Maclean doesn't hesitate in showing that the West was unforgiving; people die with almost alarming suddenness and violence, and not a single one of them gets a languishing death soliloquy. It's all a great shock to young Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit- McPhee), a Scottish émigré who ventured out West not to seek fame or fortune, but rather the love of his life, who fled their homeland after an accident Jay feels responsible for. Jay, the upper-crust scion of a well-to-do family, is unprepared for the harshness of the climate, and the opening credits have barely begun to roll before he's looking down the barrel of a gun. It's only by the grace of God and the quick reflexes of gunslinger Silas (Fassbender) that Jay gets out unscathed.

Silas, a gruff and opportunistic sort, takes the job of "chaperoning" Jay through the territory, ostensibly to make an easy buck—but there are truer, darker intentions lurking within him. See, Silas is a bounty hunter, and his target happens to be one John Ross (Rory McCann) and his daughter Rose (Caren Pistorius), the latter of whom happens to be Jay's inamorata. Neglecting to mention that his beloved is a wanted fugitive with a $2,000 price tag on her head, Silas tries to instill Jay with enough street smarts to get him through the journey. Unfortunately, some lessons take more quickly and harshly than others.

And yet, the film has a light touch of humor to it that, when paired with the frank grimness of the West, works wonders. Maclean peppers the film with sublime sight gags and, in one instance, an outlaw's recollection of a former colleague's disappointment at not having his own wanted poster that could've come right out of the works of Mark Twain. Maclean's film also owes a debt, I feel, to True Grit; the two films feel like they could be spiritual twins.

Unlike most of the genre, Slow West doesn't revel in the wide-open Leone-esque expanses of the frontier. Instead, it's squared off in a narrow frame by cinematographer Robbie Ryan, giving it a more intimate flair. Nevertheless, the film is quite lovely to look at. The color palette is striking and, if I didn't know better, I'd have thought Wes Anderson had decided to saddle up for a Western. Certain shots pop, like young Jay wading through the ashen remains of an Indian camp or of a character being abandoned in the desolate prairie with nothing but his longjohns and a blanket.

Smit-McPhee, quickly proving himself to be able to transition from his child actor years to adulthood, stands his ground admirably in the part. He also has a skill with silent comedy; most of the audience's guffaws came at Jay's befuddled reactions. Fassbender, who I feel works best when he isn't trying to crank up the intensity, feels very relaxed, giving perhaps his best performance in years. The bulk of the film focuses on just these two actors, although occasionally they share screen time with some colorful characters, including Ben Mendelsohn as a wily, cigar-chewing outlaw. Mendelsohn has been a personal casting choice for a Blood Meridian adaptation, and this would make a hell of an audition reel for it.

Despite its humor, Slow West does have an air of solemnity to it. There is the air of lost love, and not just in Jay's desperate struggle to reunite with Rose. There is also a somber sense of loss for that world. In one crucial scene, Jay meets a German anthropologist out in the wilderness, who openly laments the oncoming extinction of the native tribes in the area and the damages of white expansionism. At one point, the man smiles forlornly and says, "In a short time, this will seem like a long time ago." That line, more than any other moment in the film, lingers in the mind.

Slow West may be a pretty straightforward western on paper, but what makes it stand out is that everyone involved in the film gives it their best. From the acting to the gorgeous scenery, the movie looks great. Some have bashed the movie for being slow paced and too simple, but that seems to be the point of the film. We slowly explore the various obstacles that the west had to offer, whether good or bad. And having the main character come from the far east (Scotland) with a different, more optimistic perspective on life, makes his interactions in the American West quite interesting. That being said, the movie holds multiple surprises and enjoyable scenes that showcase the deadly west.

At the heart of the movie, this is a character drama where interactions between characters are meant to be the shining points of the movie. That being said, the movie works because Fassbender and Snit-McPhee are phenomenal together. This is a different take on the western genre (this isn't your father's western), Fassbender plays the typical nomad, but Smit-McPhee plays a fish out of water. He truly does not belong in the west and the movie shows us multiple times where he is flat out helpless.

And yes, there is a shoot-out at the end of the movie (can't be a western without a final showdown), but it is the events leading up to this moment that makes the movie pleasurable. Simple western scenarios are spun in a different manner because the characters in said situations aren't made for the brutal western lifestyle.

In an era of film where westerns have become a thing of the past (though they seem to be making a comeback), Slow West is one of the better westerns to come along in quite a long time. And since the movie is only 84 minutes long, the movie is short and sweet and gets to the point very quickly. There is not much to dislike here, especially the beauty of the New Zealand countryside.