East of Wall

We saw "East of Wall" last night in a "Screen Unseen" showing. Wasn't sure what I was watching for the first 5 minutes or so but after that I was pulled into the lives of these characters. Fantastic script and direction by Kate Beecroft. And, the acting, well it almost seemed like they were just being themselves! (Hint: watch the acting credits!) And my lord, the horsemanship... these young women can RIDE!!!

Forcing myself to sit through this self-aggrandizing garbage was one of the most boring and painful experiences of my life. It felt like someone handed the most broken people in America a camera and told them to try to make people cry with their "story".

I struggle to even call this a movie because it was just so much nothing all the way through. No substance, people "acting" as themselves and still failing at that, and the most cringy voiceovers since the original cut of Blade Runner. This was worse than watching the trashiest reality TV, because at least something happens on those shows that can be accidentally entertaining at times.

Instinct told me to leave 2 minutes in when it showed the family making horse-riding TikTok videos, but I was too stupid to listen to that voice. Be smarter than me and go see or do literally anything else.

I saw East of Wall at a "Screen Unseen" event at my local theater. I hadn't heard of it before and went in completely blind, which I usually enjoy-but in this case, it didn't quite work out.

I found the movie hard to follow, both in terms of plot and pacing. It seems to center on a woman with a difficult past who trains horses and tries to move forward with her life. While the film clearly aimed to be emotional and character-driven, the storytelling felt disjointed and lacked enough clarity to fully connect with the audience.

On the plus side, the visuals were striking-the South Dakota Badlands made for a beautiful and atmospheric backdrop. The acting was generally solid, though nothing particularly stood out.

Overall, East of Wall had potential, but its narrative struggles kept me from becoming fully invested.

This film expands the kinds of people and narratives we tell about the West. These characters are real and wild and broken and complex humans who own their stories and are not exploited on screen by shallow screenwriting nor filmmaking. A moving, quiet, and textured portrayal of humans and familial love.

A strong offering in the Biographical Narrative genre. Not as polished as Nomadland but it offers a window into the lives of those living in the "New West." As real and vulnerable as Yellowstone was manufactured and soapy.

The sound mix is energetic and creative as is the mix of cinematic and cellphone photography. There are some stunning cinematography. At times the narrative flow seems to thin into series of vignettes and some character arcs can thin out, but those elements resolve.

The themes of loss, grief, and overcoming through community and determination and living out one's life and call, are strong and the juice is certainly worth the squeeze. The mix of professional and amateur actors is truly impressive.