This is a wonderfully told tale of poignancy and intelligence and humor, with a literary touch and wonderful performances all around. I just saw it on HBO after not having seen it since its theatrical release, and loved it just as much again after all these years. I do find some of the other comments here of PC silliness. I'm reminded of some press reviews for "Captain Phillips" that said the Somali pirates were pure victims acting as only they could have, as repressed Third Worlders. But in the movie itself they were largely and accurately portrayed as criminal types who could have acted differently and ended up reaping what they sowed. Some comments here similarly suggest the Travellers/Tinkers/Gypsies in "Into the West" are pure victims, when the movie itself portrays them as certainly victims in part, but also, in part, reaping what they've sowed (making up false names to sponge off their fellow citizens, faking illness when panhandling). It was this unvarnished look at the Travellers—whom you root for in the film—that contributes to making this such an effective, nuanced movie.
Review of Into the West
