No Man's Land

I thought it was a beautiful tale of remorse and redemption. A young man kills a young boy accidently. He is driven to find the boy's father to ask forgiveness.

Hollywood has got to do better. The clothing is embarrassing in this movie. South Texas ranchers don't wear skinny jeans. What a joke. Do some research on the dress of the people you are portraying. You take a great story and ruin it with clothing and hats that look hideous. PS. It doesn't take to much research to find someone that could help you with how the hats are shaped and the actual clothing. Do better.

This thoughtful film could have been a minor modern epic if it had been given a stronger script. As is, it holds interest until some poorly developed story details begin to become too obvious. It's also photographically patchy, with cheap handheld shots bringing down the better-constructed sequences. Some distracting editing in the first half won't help it gain the attention the overall story is straining for - a pity because the whole thing has very good intentions as we follow a young man's attempts to redeem himself for an accidental killing.

Performances are sincere with the casting generally convincing, it's just the weak moments in the script that let it down. Music is well used throughout including a couple of interesting songs and the outdoor locations standing in for the Tex-Mex border add impact - those who don't feel the need to analyse their entertainment won't mind the flaws, others may be let down.

I had to review because it doesn't deserve less than a 6. It was a decent film that I wouldn't mind watching again and I'd recommend to my sons. The story was moving, I didn't find it boring or slow like most of the popular reviews. The land, the people, Jackson, and Sundance (gorgeous paint horse) kept me invested. The only drawbacks were a couple a couple trope-y characters. I think it was a well rounded story and worthy of telling.

But just not told very well. Acting was great. The premise was great. It just felt disconnected in parts.