Slow West

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 tells the story of Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a naive and courageous kid who embarks on a dangerous journey to the West, determined to find his love, a beautiful young woman, Rose (Caren Pistorius). He meets and accepts the guidance of Silas (Michael Fassbender), a laid-back gunslinger versed in the ways of the West.

Jay, an idealist and a neophyte to the perils of the wilderness, illustrates a touching contrast between his educated, delicate nature and the wickedness around him.

The director (John Maclean) controls and carefully addresses all his characters, adds purpose and exquisite emotion, portraying the fragile yet ambitious Jay in a story set with a glance of surrealism.

It is not a typical action-packed western, but it is a treat with its stunning cinematography, framing intimate and colorful scenes, both subtle and vivid comical situations and characters, a well-paced feel-good experience.

Slow West may live up to it's title but it also proves that a slow pace does not mean it can't be action laced, fun and exciting.

Michael Fassbender does an old school style western that reminds me of Eastwood in his glory days. He portrays a man helping a boy from Scotland find his sweetheart who had to skip the country and head to America's West.

The movie was visually stunning as the filmmaker used a lot of cool camera tricks to make the Frontier look like colorful art work.

Went to see the movie cause Michael Fassbender was in it and I got real nervous as the picture started and I realized how slow it was going, but even though the pace staid slow the energy of the movie does not.

Slow west is filled with all the good stuff you loved, with Michael Fassbender playing the anti hero and Ben Mendelsohn playing the colorful villain. Even the fact that it was shot beautifully in New Zealand is a homage to the old school westerns that were shot in Italy.

Nothing but cool.

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.