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| Courtesy of IFC Films |
AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS
2013, 105 minutes
Not Rated
Review by Joshua
Handler
A complete stunner from start to finish, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints is possibly the
best-shot film I have ever seen (cinematographer Bradford Young won the Excellence in Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film Festival for both this film and Mother of George, which I will review this weekend) and is compelling throughout under the
direction of David Lowery, best known for his editorial work on acclaimed films
like Upstream Color. Ain’t
Them Bodies Saints features Rooney Mara, Ben Foster, and Casey Affleck and
is about two lovers, Ruth and Bob (Mara and Affleck, respectively) who are
separated after Bob goes to jail for shooting a policeman, a crime that Ruth
committed but that Bob took the fall for.
After Bob escapes years later, he tries to make it back to see Ruth and
his child who was born shortly after his incarceration.
This movie looks as if it was directed by a seasoned
veteran, not a relative newcomer. The
story moves at an even pace, a rarity for films nowadays. At its heart, it tells a moving love story
wrapped in a crime drama/western film.
Lowery and his production designers give the film a distinct period look. While Ain't Them Bodies Saints takes place in 1970s Texas, it feels like a classic western,
very much in the naturalistic vain of McCabe
& Mrs. Miller (there is a scene with overlapping dialogue, a trademark
of Robert Altman). Lowery directed the film
in a laid-back manner, allowing scenes to breathe when needed, but applying
tension when needed, creating a film with its own unique, calming rhythm. When I fell into the rhythm of Ain't Them Bodies Saints, I was mesmerized.
The entire cast gives moving, convincing performances that
mesh perfectly with each other and never overshadow one another. Ben Foster is the standout as the cop who Ruth shot who begins to fall for her while Bob is in jail. Foster’s character is the most morally
upright of the group and his performance as this admirable man is powerful,
particularly in the latter half of the movie.
Finally, Bradford Young’s (Pariah, Mother of George)
cinematography is unlike any I’ve ever seen. It adds to the naturalistic feel of the movie
and really makes the Texan setting come alive.
Using natural light and extensive use of shadows, Young creates images so
beautiful that, if frozen, could be placed in a photography exhibition. The cinematography emphasizes the nature surrounding the characters and gives the film a dreamlike quality. Through the immaculately-framed images, I felt the dust, smelled the sweat, and was
transported to the world of the film. Not a single frame is out of
place and every one adds to the story.
Overall, Ain’t Them
Bodies Saints is a truly unforgettable film that can be best described as a
cross between Bonnie and Clyde and a
1970s Terrence Malick film. Those that
don’t like Malick films shouldn’t be alarmed, though, because this film, while
stylistically similar to a Malick film, is quite different story and
acting-wise. Ain't Them Bodies Saints is a film that should receive awards attention come the year’s
end, if only for Young’s cinematography.
4/4
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