Americana

Americana
Starring Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey, Eric Dane
Directed by Tony Tost

2025 seems to be a resurgence for the Western genre, with Ari Aster's "Eddington" and now "Americana" hitting theaters both in the summer (alright, that's just two, but given how niche the Western genre is, that's a bit of a resurgence in and of itself), and both manage to bring back the classic feel but also give the modern take on the wild, wild west in ways that feel almost normal. "Americana" is one such film, which feels like an early Tarantino or Coen Brothers film with its blend of gory violence, old movie references, quirky dialogue, unique characters and non-linear storytelling. While this is the directorial debut for Tony Tost, "Americana" has a charm all its own, even though it could've used a bit more polishing. 

When word spreads of a wealthy socialite coming into possession of a priceless Ghost Shirt (an artifact of symbolic significance to the Lakota tribe of South Dakota), it becomes a prize for numerous different groups of people who want it for different reasons. Roy Lee Dean (Simon Rex) wants it for his sinister intentions, and hires hitman Dillon MacIntosh (Eric Dane) to steal it for him. MacIntosh is in a relationship with Mandy Starr (Halsey), who's son Cal (Gavin Maddox) thinks he's the reincarnation of Sitting Bull, and also wants the shirt to get freedom from Dillon's abusive behavior. Waitress Penny Jo Poplin (Sydney Sweeney) wants the shirt and the money it can get to go to Nashville to be a country singer, and Lefty Ledbetter (Paul Walter Hauser) helps her get it because he's fallen in love with her. Then there's Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon), a Native American gang leader, who wants to retrieve the Ghost Shirt to return it to his people. The gang converges in one final shootout where the last person standing will gain the Ghost Shirt and the money associated with it.

"Americana" is a mark of the classic Western genre right up to the epic gunfight which hearkens back to the classics like "Tombstone" and "Young Guns," and the path there is paved with fun - if not disjointed - storylines. The film is split into five chapters, told through the eyes of the different people associated with the Ghost Shirt, and is told in a non-linear fashion that goes back and forth in time depending on who's the center of attention at the time. Your mileage for this kind of storytelling depends on how well you like the works of Quentin Tarantino or Joel and Ethan Coen, but if you enjoy their works, you'll appreciate what Tony Tost does here. This is Tost's first film that he also wrote, and while there's some hiccups, it's a decent first outing and shows talent for the young up-and-comer.

One story centers around Mandy, played by pop sensation Halsey, who has a tragic past and a tragic present, but hopes to use the money from the Ghost Shirt to gain a positive future. She was raised by a tyrannical father who forced his wife and daughters to serve him in a Jim Jones-style commune, and Mandy escaped that world only to fall into the arms of ne'er-do-well Dillon MacIntosh, an abusive hitman who values money over everything. Even her young son doesn't see her as his mother, as his indoctrination of western shows makes him believe that he's the reincarnation of Sitting Bull (despite the fact that he's a white kid). Halsey showcases her acting talent here (as well as her supporting work in last year's "MaXXXine"), and is the standout performer of this movie.

Another story that closely intersects with Mandy's is Simon Rex's Roy Dean, a wealthy Native American-obsessed mobster who wants the Ghost Shirt for himself, and hires Dillon to kill the owner and steal it. Roy is the most caricature-driven character, who's only depth is being a slimy, smarmy sort who uses any illegal means to get what he wants, but Simon Rex performs admirably. 

Then there's Sydney Sweeney and Paul Walter Hauser's Penny Jo and Lefty, who are as generically written as can be, but performed so well you don't mind. Sweeney's Penny Jo is your typical sweet, cute waitress who desires to be a country singer and who has a pronounced stutter, but is as endearing and sweet as they come. Hauser's Lefty is your typical lovelorn salt-of-the-earth sap who proposes marriage to any woman he comes into contact with, and is immediately smitten by Penny Jo. The two of them have the best dynamics in the movie and serve as the heart of it, and both deliver great performances. 

Then there's Zahn McClarnon's Ghost Eye, who wants the Ghost Shirt to return to his people, and who enlists Mandy's son Cal to help get it back. He's surprisingly the least written character in the movie and one we know the least about, but McClarnon works with what he's got.

The violence intensifies as the film progresses, ending at the gunfight at Mandy's father's compound, which is fast-paced, exciting, and even humorous. It brings everyone together for one epic conclusion, and honestly the movie would've served itself better if it had ended there. However, after the fight and the blowout, there's more story that Tost tells, and makes the film feel more elongated than it needed to be. The events leading up to the shootout was exciting, fast-paced, and fun, but the events afterward dragged the story down - but that only serves to prove that Tost has the talent to make something spectacular in the future, and the ride there was an enjoyable one.

The Score: A-