Lilli Keeve
Set in 1950s post-war America, On Swift Horses is an adaptation of Shannon Pufahl’s novel of the same name, directed by Daniel Minahan and written by Bryce Kass. Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Muriel, a Kansas-bred woman who leaves her small life behind to move to San Diego with her husband, Lee (Will Poulter). Lee’s mysterious brother, Julius (Jacob Elordi), weaves his way in and out of their lives while on a journey of sexual exploration and getting lost in the world of gambling. Muriel starts to bet on horses and, similarly, discovers other hidden parts of herself, which strains her marriage and changes everything she thought she knew.
Visually, the film is sweeping and tantalizing, with gorgeous cinematography from Luc Montpellier. Minahan’s first feature directorial effort can be applauded, but the screenplay is disjointed and packs too much into its almost two-hour runtime. From afar, On Swift Horses appears a dreamy, lust-fueled picture of an ever-changing Americana, paired with a strong cast, yet its paper-thin characters and lack of focus turn it into a frustratingly dull and aimless movie. Even acting powerhouses like Elordi, Edgar-Jones, and Poulter, who have had impressive careers thus far, can’t save this disappointment.
A prominent theme of the movie is agency, highlighted in Muriel and Julius’s intertwining stories of self-discovery and coming to terms with a newfound freedom. Muriel yearns to release herself from her role as the stereotypical, dutiful housewife. She begins betting on horses at a local racetrack using information she overhears from her waitressing job to her advantage. She keeps it a secret from Lee and entirely hides her other life from him, as she starts a steamy affair with their attractive neighbour, Sandra (Sasha Calle). Similarly, Julius’s smarts with gambling land him a job in the endless throws of temptation of Las Vegas, but he gets into a bit of trouble as he falls madly in love with his alluring coworker, Henry (Diego Calva).
The story’s structure weaves between four primary narratives: Muriel and Lee’s exciting and subsequently fading romance; Julius and Muriel’s love and understanding of one another; Julius’ complicated relationship with Henry; and Muriel and Sandra’s budding romance. While, in context, this doesn’t sound like a lot, everything feels too compact—and too many stories vying for the viewer’s attention. It would have worked much more convincingly if, perhaps, the film had chosen two story lines to focus on and flesh out more wholly. In other words, the chemistry of Julius and Henry (as well as Muriel and Sandra) seemed rushed and not incredibly interesting. Poulter’s character utilization is particularly underwhelming, as he isn’t given much to do or work with.
To its credit, however, the movie portrays the myriad layers of humanity, flaws, complications, conflicting emotions, and the perception of oneself and how certain actions affect others. In that regard, there’s at least an attempt at exploring profound messages in the themes of cultural and societal shifts, the concepts surrounding autonomy, and the chasing of the elusive American Dream. Despite these efforts, the film doesn’t demonstrate the emotional resonance it had many opportunities to show.
On Swift Horses is not the most pleasant watching experience—it’s rather exhausting. The pacing proved lackluster and inefficient, making every scene feel drawn out and void of emotional impact. Even more disappointing is that with such a stellar group of talented actors, their onscreen performances proved bland, and it’s difficult to root for them. There’s a promising adaptation buried within On Swift Horses, but it failed in the end, going out with a whimper, not a bang.
On Swift Horses is playing in select theatres nationwide.
