ALL THE PRETTY HORSES -- Billy Bob Thornton, dir

©2000
studio: Sony Pictures
production company: Columbia Pictures Corporation, Miramax Films
dir: Billy Bob Thornton
cast: Matt Damon, Henry Thomas, Lucas Black, Penelope Cruz, Ruben Blades, Robert Patrick, Bruce Dern, Sam Shepard, Angelina Torres, J.D. Young, Laura Poe
screenplay: Ted Tally
based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy

A young, Texas drifter yearns for the life of a cowboy, but finds that American farms are selling out to Big Oil companies and so heads for Mexico, where he meets all the loves and hardships of cowboy life.

The reviews don't seem to be too good for this movie, citing that large chunks of the movie are missing and so it seems unclear.

I find that the "missing chunks" give the movie an almost surreal quality. It reminds me of a more patient, western version of After Hours. Think 'Kafka as a cowboy.'

The photography was beautiful, and an all-star cast turns in fantastic performances. Thornton moves the story along so that we don't get caught up too long in any one particular story line, and weaves all the bits and pieces together in an interesting fabric.

From the very first appearance of Lucas Black, the thirteen year old cowboy, we know that the cowboys' lives will not be the same. He brings a black cloud over them, litereally, as well as figuratively.

I enjoyed this and would recommend it highly.