The Mustang

"The Mustang" is a heartfelt emotional drama that shows how connection and exploring and experiencing interactions can help a person. The tale is of a prisoner in rural Nevada who struggles to escape his past only to be helped and treated in a new social program. This involves training a stubborn Mustang named Marcus. Look for some good work from veteran Bruce Dern as a veteran trainer and other fellow inmates assist in this new program. All of this is a new heartfelt connection of hope and a challenge and chance to be a better person, something that all should take to.

I woke earlier than usual this morning and with Daylight Savings Time hitting tomorrow decided to get up and acclimate a day early. Perusing the upcoming movie releases, I was thrilled to see that "The Mustang" is scheduled to hit the theaters this month. I don't know how wide a release it will be, but it's well worth tracking this beautiful film down

French actress Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre makes her feature film directorial debut here. There is little question that she will be given many more opportunities after this endeavor.

Fortunately she was at the Sundance opening for the film and we had the chance to hear how she brought this film to fruition. The story is based on an actual prison rehabilitation program whereby violent inmates are given the opportunity to break and train wild mustangs in an effort to ready them for auction. There are more than 100,000 mustangs in the wild and a portion are herded up each year to enter the program.

The film stars Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts. He is an established star in his country and has appeared in several Oscar nominated foreign language films, and he received a Cesar Award for Most Promising Actor for his performance in "Rust and Bone" In 2013.

Schoenaerts is the heart of this movie. He and the wild horse he is assigned to break. His violent past can be discerned just by looking at him. He is a deeply troubled man and wants nothing than to be left alone. "I'm not good with people" he bluntly states. Adding to the richness of the characters in the film is Bruce Dern who delightfully plays the crusty, irascible trainer to the inmates. It's good to see him deliver a solid performance at age 82.

The cinematography in the film is stunning. The mountains of Nevada enveloping this maximum security prison provide good material for the director. She puts it all to great use. Some of the scenes with Roman Coleman (Schoenaerts) and his horse are intimate and moving.

This was one of my favorites from this year's Sundance Festival and I am very pleased that it made it to the big screens. I hope it reaches many of them and that you get to see it. Enjoy.

A Movie with no political agendas, Very down to earth and believable. The Film makers did a wonderful job of demonstrate how less is more.

I wasn't going to write a review since many better reviews have been written but then I saw some very negative reviews which were way off base. This is not a kid's movie, not a comedy, not a rom-com. It's hard nosed and sometimes tough to watch but it is, imho, a very good movie and better than 3/4s the movies that were released in the same time period. The producer was Robert Redford. Bruce Dern is one of the supporting actors. That should get your attention. It was filmed on site at an amazing facility. It is true that it can make you feel uncomfortable but there are moments of true transcendency. I think everything tends to be subjective but I think this movie deserves every chance it can get to be seen. Disregard the negativity, it is a very good movie.

Animals in Prisons ... a good idea? I would say yes - and there are apparently studies that confirm that it helps those incarcerated. Horses are symbols of freedom so this is not even a subtle attempt that is being conveyed to the viewer. But one that is very well done.

Robert Redford produced this and I reckon it is just another reminder of how (socially) active he is. Yes he is not just a good looking boy (he'll be forever young, no matter his current age), but one that uses his fame and his power to do something good. And I would say if at least some people watching this realize the potential - the good it can do to have programs like this in prisons ... it hopefully will help in the long run.

Now while that all may sound nice and dandy, there is also a lot grittiness, a lot of violence ... it is a prison after all. So do not be surprised if this does not hold back punches .. or stabs for that matter. The ending .. almost poetic though! Could not have been a better one ... and then the text about different states and statistics.