Tommy Lee Jones' latest directorial effort brings the long-missed HilarySwank back to the big screen with a powerfully melancholic performance—a vulnerable single woman by the name of Mary Bee Cuddy (a type of name that's very familiar in the Western genre) who simply can't bear the boredom and desolation of her current life. She seeks purpose and ultimately a future, which is why she's the first town resident willing to actually transport three insane mothers to a church in Iowa for (implied) healing. Just the sheer horrific and frightening acts we witness these individual women commit are unexpectedly startling. The fact of the matter is that The Homesman is definitely not the kind of film it appears to be, initially judging by its trailers and even by its deceivingly bright (brownish-hued) appearance. Beneath the surface level, a whole lot of darkness and tragedy is boiling. With the ceaselessly eerie score and disturbing imagery on display, The Homesman plays a lot like a Western with transparent horror undertones, as strange as that sounds.
Whereas Mary Bee Cuddy desperately longs for a companion—for a romantic partner—to accompany her through the remainder of life, Tommy Lee Jones' George Briggs is very much an individual's individual, one who left the US Regiment of Dragoons once upon a time and since then has been doing just fine on his own without any desire for the responsibility and limitation that comes with tying yourself down to other people. It's this sense of company that a lot of the film's major characters yearn for or patently need in their present circumstances. The idea of marriage and "settling down" for a potentially prosperous future plays as a significant motif here—the societal concept's relevance in this specific time period heavily emphasized.
Even though the picture's general tone is quite dreary, there are enough comical moments throughout to give this film an even more unique spin in its respective genre. Bizarre character actions/interactions and awkward line deliveries make for considerable amusement with co- lead Jones, in particular, portraying a sillier character than usual. Most of all, it's the peculiarly evolving dynamic between Cuddy and Briggs on this journey (the crazy women now taking a backseat in the story) that takes up much of the screen-time and consequently, we see several tonal shifts throughout the plot, for good or ill.
On that note, the film—at the end of the day—feels largely uneven and muddy. The various subplots, especially including the mentally deranged women's arc, don't really lead anywhere—that is, anywhere satisfying and particularly climactic. See, while The Homesman does certainly present a distinct Western narrative that's void of all the usual caricatures and stereotypes constantly found in the genre, the end product still comes out unfortunately anti-climactic and unspectacular. The film's odd mixture of utter quirkiness/humor with total creepiness undoubtedly keeps you entertained through the entire story, but the more you look back at it, the more forgettable the whole package ends up being. The story focuses on one fascinating aspect (like the strange mentally unhinged illness that has taken the women of the town, or the unnerving, gradually building desperation for a husband—for sex—inside Swank). Suddenly, however, it abandons those increasingly intriguing subplots for something else, and the narrative continues changing its goals and tone to the point where you're not sure how exactly cohesive and consistent this picture turns out to be.
Whereas Mary Bee Cuddy desperately longs for a companion—for a romantic partner—to accompany her through the remainder of life, Tommy Lee Jones' George Briggs is very much an individual's individual, one who left the US Regiment of Dragoons once upon a time and since then has been doing just fine on his own without any desire for the responsibility and limitation that comes with tying yourself down to other people. It's this sense of company that a lot of the film's major characters yearn for or patently need in their present circumstances. The idea of marriage and "settling down" for a potentially prosperous future plays as a significant motif here—the societal concept's relevance in this specific time period heavily emphasized.
Even though the picture's general tone is quite dreary, there are enough comical moments throughout to give this film an even more unique spin in its respective genre. Bizarre character actions/interactions and awkward line deliveries make for considerable amusement with co- lead Jones, in particular, portraying a sillier character than usual. Most of all, it's the peculiarly evolving dynamic between Cuddy and Briggs on this journey (the crazy women now taking a backseat in the story) that takes up much of the screen-time and consequently, we see several tonal shifts throughout the plot, for good or ill.
On that note, the film—at the end of the day—feels largely uneven and muddy. The various subplots, especially including the mentally deranged women's arc, don't really lead anywhere—that is, anywhere satisfying and particularly climactic. See, while The Homesman does certainly present a distinct Western narrative that's void of all the usual caricatures and stereotypes constantly found in the genre, the end product still comes out unfortunately anti-climactic and unspectacular. The film's odd mixture of utter quirkiness/humor with total creepiness undoubtedly keeps you entertained through the entire story, but the more you look back at it, the more forgettable the whole package ends up being. The story focuses on one fascinating aspect (like the strange mentally unhinged illness that has taken the women of the town, or the unnerving, gradually building desperation for a husband—for sex—inside Swank). Suddenly, however, it abandons those increasingly intriguing subplots for something else, and the narrative continues changing its goals and tone to the point where you're not sure how exactly cohesive and consistent this picture turns out to be.