Last night I had the chance to see The Mustang, a film that generated a lot of buzz at Sundance this year and rightly so! It is a beautiful story about the redemption of a violent convict through his bond with a horse that is just as wild as he is. Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts) has recently been transferred to a prison in Nevada after spending several years in isolation because of anger management issues. A prison psychologist (Connie Britton) refers him to a rehabilitation program, run by the curmudgeonly Myles (Bruce Dern), in which convicts are used to train wild mustangs rounded up by the government to keep the population sustainable. Successfully trained horses are sold at auction and unsuccessful ones are euthanized. Myles pairs Roman with the wildest of the horses hoping that they will be able to tame each other (the resolution is beautiful but it might surprise you). The more success he finds in the ring, the more Roman is able to make peace with himself and with his daughter (Gideon Adlon). Schoenaerts gives an exceptional performance, one in which there is not a lot of dialogue but one in which body language and facial expressions show the full extent of Roman's pain. He exudes a fury that is palpable which makes his transformation in the scene where he finally breaks down with his daughter all the more powerful. The action is quite slow because the trust between Roman and the horse is developed very gradually, culminating in one of the most beautiful scenes in the film. It is visually striking with the wide open spaces of the desert juxtaposed with the claustrophobic interiors of the prison. I also really liked the score, especially a plaintive theme played by a guitar when Roman is in solitary confinement. I was very moved by this film and I highly recommend seeking it out.
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