The Mustang

The Mustang

Starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Mitchell, Bruce Dern, Gideon Adlon
Directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

The Story:
Having been incarcerated for twelve years, Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts) never wants to leave, because he doesn't work well with others.  He remains stoic and tight-lipped, even with his psychologist (Connie Britton), and serves as a ticking time bomb where he could explode at any moment.  He is placed in a rehabilitation program that assigns prisoners with wild mustangs in order to tame them so they can be sold at auction, and is run by the gruff, no-nonsense Myles (Bruce Dern).

Roman finds a horse that's unlike the others, because it's incredibly wild and seemingly can't be tamed.  With the help of fellow inmate Henry (Jason Mitchell), Roman works with the horse to establish a connection, but it's not easy for either of them.  As he begins to open up to his horse - which he calls Marquis - he also learns to open up to others around him, especially his daughter Martha (Gideon Adlon), who's pregnant with her own child.


The Superior:
Much like people who suffer from mental illnesses receive animals to serve as much-needed emotional support, prisoners in certain states are given wild mustang horses to tame them so they can be sold at auction, because the number of wild mustangs is too numerous to keep in check.  This allows both the prisoners and the horses to lean on one another, and studies have proven that inmates who have used this form of rehabilitation have been less likely to commit crimes again after they're released.

Matthias Schoenaerts gives a strong, solid, commanding performance as Roman Coleman, who is obviously matched with the most wild mustang since both are equally anti-human and wild in their own respective cages.  While it could be seen as a cliche, both man and beast grow fond of one another and both slowly learn to trust each other and prove that even the most wildest creature can be tamed - mostly.  We see his character break down the inner walls within him as he interacts with Marquis, and gives a captivating, tour-de-force performance.

The emotional depth of the film occurs in two different interactions, and the one most obvious is between Roman and his horse Marquis.  At first the two are highly distrustful of one another (and, in a particularly tough scene to watch, physically abusive), and we see the struggle in both man and animal.  Yet as both begin to trust one another, we see tender moments that prove animals are emotional creatures as well, and can bring out the best in even the hardest of hearts.  We not only see Marquis becoming more tamed, but Roman as well - and we see that in the second most emotional moments between him and his daughter Martha.  When she first visits him in prison, she only wants him to sign away rights to her grandmother's house so she can sell it and move in with her boyfriend, whom got her pregnant.  The two are as distant as ever, and it's painfully obvious when they participate in a strange photoshoot - but as Roman opens up to Marquis, it allows him to also open up to his daughter, and each subsequent visit results in him opening up more and more, and we see him show some real emotional depth that's surprising for a man of Roman's stature.

The script at first seems full of cliches and typical generalities, and while on the surface that can be true, the story goes much deeper than just the plateau you'd expect to see.  It's not an easy path for either Roman or Marquis, and no guarantee that either could be totally tamed, but it's through the ups and downs of the narrative that really draws us in and keeps us enthralled to the story being told.

The setting is beautiful, even as it takes place in a prison.  Set in Nevada, the prison is surrounded by luscious deserts and majestic hills, which really sets itself apart from other prisons we've seen in films that are surrounded by noise, buildings, and the normal hustle and bustle of busy streets.  It gives a wild west feel, and Roman really serves as a modern day cowboy.



The Subpar:
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre is a first-time director, and while she manages to captivate us with a powerful character study, we do see proof that she is indeed a first-time director, particularly with the editing.  There's one moment in particular that seemingly comes out of nowhere, and doesn't seem to belong to the story as a whole.

The film focuses on a couple different subplots that never go anywhere, and only serve as a means to seemingly pad the runtime.  If the film was strictly about Roman and Marquis, it would've been extremely powerful, but we're taken away from those tender moments to appease these subplots that really serve no purpose.




The Summary:
While the film itself serves as a powerful character study of a seemingly nonredeemable man, "The Mustang" proves that no one is beyond salvation, and sometimes the most unique methods of rehabilitation produce the best results. 


The Score: A