All the Pretty Horses | | Cast : | Matt Damon, Henry Thomas, Penélope Cruz | | Director : | Billy Bob Thornton | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | December 11, 2000 | | DVD Released Date : | February 03, 2004 | | Language : | French (Dubbed), English (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 08, 2005 | | Summary | See it for yourself | Content
 | I've read several reviews for this movie that were less than flattering. But, in all fairness, this is a very good movie. Maybe it's not as complete as the book. But, what movie is? The actors are all convincing in the roles they play. The story is very good. And, if you are from west Texas, the scenery in this movie will be an added bonus. Watch it for yourself. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 24, 2005 | | Summary | Decent Movie but great performance by Matt Damon | Content
| I usually laugh pretty good when a yankee tries to play a Texan,but I have to take my hat off to Matt Damon fantastic job he sounded like one of us. My grandfather was a cowboy in the San Angelo area in the 1920s so I know what Im talking about. I now believe that Matt Damon is a Texas cowboy and not some damn hollywood actor lol. Decent movie but rent it for Matt's texas accent he nailed it good, pretty hard to believe but he did it. good job. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 02, 2005 | | Summary | You ain't never been struck by lightning. | Content
| I don't think I will ever understand the disappointing backlash against this film. What I witnessed was not your typical "western" film full of passionate love and implausible events. Instead, what I saw was beautifully captured images, powerful acting by Damon and Thomas, a story that twisted further down a darkened rabbit hole than I was expecting, and this challenging character study that gave us a brief insight to a world that will never be seen by our eyes again. This was not the romantic film that it was marketed as, this was not the adventure that it was marketed as, but instead it was the story of one character and the tribulations that effect him on his journey into the real world. It is the story of a very compassionate man that sees the honest darkness of those around him and must face the consequences of his actions. It showcases amazing acting that may be a bit disturbing for the unfamiliar eye, but to me was nothing short of brilliant. Billy Bob successfully adapted the story from the page, but it was not the film that he wanted. Miramax butchered this film in the marketing aspect, which ultimately hurt it overall. I will never understand why this did not receive the praise it should have, but will never be ashamed to bring it out for friends and family to enjoy. This film was like finding a dollar in the couch, an unexpected surprise that keeps a smile on your face the rest of the day.
I have read several reviews that just completely dismantle Damon's acting in this film. While his accent does fade in and out randomly, it is the way that he carries himself and reacts to the situations that unfold before him that really showcase the true acting ability of this star. While I do not think that Bennifer has made the best choices to challenge his career, Damon continually proves that he has the ability to be a force in Hollywood. This film alone proves it. He built this beautiful chemistry between him and Cruz that teetered on fear and sorrow. He showed his compassion towards Blevins and Lacey continually throughout the film showing that his idea of friendship was stronger than anyone expected. His strength and will shined brightly when he was ultimately faced with death. These are all moments where other actors would have cheapened it up and tried to fake the audience instead of showing the truth. I thought Damon showed us honesty, he showed us a part of him that I was not expecting. If you couldn't tell already, he really impressed me. But yet so did everyone else in this film. I honestly thought that the kid from Sling Blade, Lucas Black, would never work again, and I was skeptical of him in this film, but he was exceptional. He took us away from his character in Sling Blade and built a whole new name for himself. He took the challenges of this character and pushed them out of the television. The same can be said for Henry Thomas that continues to impress me with his ability to capture his moments and make them so real. Finally, Billy Bob did a great job of casting the rest of this film to bring the images and feelings of the time period to light. I could feel the dusty world of Texas and Mexico through the smaller characters that he cast.
Speaking of Billy Bob, could we not agree that these actors wouldn't have been half as good if it were not for the amazing direction behind the camera. I wish that I could have seen his version of the film instead of the choppy Miramax version. He has a very gifted eye, and while sometimes he takes roles that I think blur that eye, he always seems to rebound with a very riveting performance. He is constantly experimenting with genres and styles, and this film shows that he can break traditional boundaries. The images that he captured on film help create this darkness that surrounded our main characters. The scene with the thunderstorm I thought was beautiful, as was the rolling Mexican landscape. He places us into the film as more than just observers, and that is a sign of a great director.
Finally, I would like to pose the question of why Grady was so infatuated with Blevins? There were several moments during the film where he could have simply walked away from the boy, and Lacey even suggested it continually, but they always stayed with him. I realize that a main reason may be to develop the plot, but I think there was a more symbolic meaning. I feel that Damon connected with the boy because they had a kindred spirit. Damon was this passive, controlled character that never really understood himself until later on in the film, while Blevins was this wild-hair that never controlled himself or thought about his decisions. It was as if they were polar opposites, but yet they were perfectly matched. I think Damon liked him because it was what he aspired to be. I sometimes felt that the secondary characters were not real, and sometimes they were just imaginary images of what Damon wanted himself to be more like. This thought created a much darker picture for me that forced this film to go deeper into my mind and be more enjoyable than I thought.
Overall, I really liked this film. While others will definitely disagree, I thought that the acting, story, and especially the direction deserved more attention that what was handed to it.
Grade: ***** out of ***** |
| Rating | | | Date | February 05, 2005 | | Summary | Beautiful and moving film | Content
| I loved this movie and found it to be moving, romantic and beautiful. Matt Damon is superb and does a great job as always. Penelope Cruz is stunning and I adore her in this. I don't understand the negative reviews. I had no trouble understanding it or following the plot. It has action, drama, romance and the scenery is so lovely it makes you ache. One of the best films I have seen. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 04, 2005 | | Summary | Pretty but aimless | Content
| All the Pretty Horses, adapted from the novel by Cormac McCarthy, follows the tale of a young Texas rancher who sets out for Mexico to find adventure. Though promoted as a love story, this serious coming-of-age drama offers more than the usual "boy-meets-girl" plot. Despite the fact that the protagonist of the novel is only 16, the casting is excellent. Matt Damon plays the lead character of John Grady Cole and, although he is convincing, it is not the role of a lifetime. Henry Thomas shines in the supporting role of John's friend, Rawlins, who accompanies him on the epic journey. Along the way, they are joined by Blevins, a young boy played by Lucas Black (Sling Blade) with perhaps a secret or two. The weakest link is actress Penelope Cruz, who plays Cole's love interest, Alejandra; there is no chemistry whatsoever between her and Damon. The film also includes brief cameos by Sam Shepard, Robert Patrick, and Bruce Dern. Director Billy Bob Thornton has said All the Pretty Horses is the best work he'll ever do but, although his directing is adequate, it is hardly spectacular. The narrative becomes choppy at times, and fails to define Cole's motivation. Following the book closely, the film offers many unforeseen plot twists. Among the most exciting developments is a harrowing prison sequence, which captures both the fear and confusion of someone wrongly incarcerated. Further, a scene depicting Cole's attempt to tame a stallion is also notable, but is somewhat hampered by the obvious use of a stunt double. The cinematography throughout the film is breathtaking, and it's refreshing to know that there are parts of this world still unblemished by modern progress. This gives the story the look and feel of an old western. Set in 1949, just after the close of World War II and the advent of rock and roll, it is a world that Cole turns his back on. Perhaps searching for a bygone era, he looks upon the vast wilds of Mexico as a land of freedom and independence. Once can empathize with a lost soul who doesn't know where he belongs, but running away is clearly no solution. It's a shame Thornton didn't know into which genre to place his film, as it runs aimlessly from one event to another, like all the pretty horses with nowhere to go. Rating: 7 out of 10. |
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