Ain't Them Saint Bodies
I liked the movie "A Ghost Story" by Director David Lowery, so I searched for another movie of his which was critically praised and I landed up seeing this movie "Ain't Them Saint Bodies"
The movie is a take on Bonnie and Clyde style LOVE story of a couple Bob (Casey Affleck) and his pregnant partner Ruth (Rooney Mara) who gets involved in crime activities and are caught by police, with Bob taking the blame of shooting a cop Patrick (Ben Foster) and goes to prison and daily writes a LOVE-letter to Ruth asking her to wait for him. Ruth delivers a baby girl child, and after 4 years Bob escapes from prison to be with Ruth and his daughter - hoping to live a peaceful life. Will his wish fulfill forms the remaining story.
The selection of the script by Sundance even before shooting started and premier at Sundance Film festival gave a boost to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival giving it critical acclaim.
The leading pair Casey Afflect and Rooney Mara's chemistry is wonderful. Director David Lowery has his distinct style with slow pace, beautiful shots, blended background score and music, on the edge characters that leave something mysterious for audiences to dwell deep into their psyche.
The back-drop of Texas terrain is beautifully captured by cinematographer Bradford Young . The plot moves deliberately with sequences that take the narrative forward. The laggardness of the dialogues and interactions could have been avoided to a certain extend to make script more tight knit.
The best and the most touching dialogue of the movie is the first voice-over letter he writes to Ruth from prison - It is so beautiful and carries the essence of the whole movies in those words:
"Every day I wake up thinking today's the day I'm gonna see you. And one of those days, it will be so. And then we can ride off to somewhere. Somewhere far away" and it goes on...
It is a classic LOVE story of a out-law couple presented in an unusual new way by David Lowery's surreal sensibilities (obviously feels like under the influence of Terrence Mallick - of Days of Heaven fame)
I would go with 6.75 out of 10 for this movie.
