In a perfect world, On Swift Horses might have been the Brokeback Mountain for a new generation. Calling to mind Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning 2005 film, it is an emotional neo-Western adapted from a literary source, with daring queer love at the center, and starring a quartet of steadily-rising stars in Hollywood. The biggest difference, however, is that Lee’s film was as entertaining and masterfully crafted as it was groundbreaking, while Daniel Minahan’s movie, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festivalfeels more like a fizzle than a bang.
Based on the eponymous novel by Shannon Pufahl, On Swift Horses finds Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Lee (Will Poulter) on the brink of a new life following Lee’s return from the Korean War. His ultimate dream is to get married and start anew in California, but Muriel doesn’t seem too ecstatic about the idea. To further complicate matters, Lee’s brother, Julius (played by Jacob Elordi), shows up unexpectedly at their doorstep. Of course, he runs off just as quickly as he arrives, heading to Las Vegas for some fun and fast cash.
There, Julius lands a job at a casino and meets the alluring Henry (Diego Calva), and the pair embark on a steamy but secret romance. Meanwhile, Muriel, upon agreeing to move to California with Lee, grows listless as they struggle to make ends meet. Even though they make progress and secure a new home for themselves, it’s not enough to satisfy her. This is how she ends up gambling on race horses, secretly hiding her winnings from her husband. The four characters are each chasing their own dreams, discovering new truths, for better and worse, about themselves in the process.
The Potential Is as Profound as the Letdown
Based on the synopsis alone, it’s evident that there are many threads — and sub-threads therein — that On Swift Horses tries to pull together. There’s an ensemble cast of complex characters (each with their own histories, desires, and motivations that are in constant conflict with one another), and a recurring gambling metaphor (that life is one big bet on the cards you’re dealt).
Even with the larger themes of the American Dream and forbidden romance, it certainly has the makings of an epic that hearkens back to the feelings of sheer discovery and grand possibility of old stories of the American Frontier. How, for example, Muriel and Julius see in each other a shared desire for “something more” than they are given, and how this makes way for a kinship that teeters on the precipice of a one-of-a-kind romance, is a promising foundation for a story we haven’t seen in the Western genre. The result is, unfortunately, less a seamless epic and more a patchwork of ideas, plots and subplots, and characterizations that fail to coalesce harmoniously.
An Overstuffed but Pretty Picture
Indeed, Edgar-Jones and Elordi feel like two leads in two different storiesthe former in a domestic drama in California and the latter in a queer romance in Las Vegas. Bryce Kass’ script does try to keep the two connected (Muriel writes secret letters to Julius that go unanswered) and in theme — Muriel discovers her own queerness with her neighbor Sandra (Sasha Calle) and fellow gambler Gail (Kat Cunning). However, there’s no shaking the feeling that On Swift Horses bites off more than it can chew. It doesn’t help that the editing can feel somewhat haphazard, making the simplest of locations and conversation feel like a maze.
If there’s any consolation to Minahan’s film, it’s Luc Montpellier’s cinematography. Capturing the sun-drenched California skies and Las Vegas heat, his work brings out the steam of each location’s inherent eroticism. What’s more, he makes it feel like this the film exists in some golden age of American history, finding the rays of light in moments of uncertainty.
The Cast Makes the Most of Their Underwritten Characters
On Swift Horses‘ biggest misstep is its failure to its actors, who are a group of some of the most exciting names coming up in the industry today. Certainly, each star makes use of the material they are given: as Julius, Elordi capitalizes on his status as the current it-boy/heartthrob and imbues his character with heart; Edgar-Jones exhibits chemistry with everyone around her; and Poulter delivers Lee’s boy-next-door earnestness without bordering on naive. Of the four, it’s Calva who stands out as Manny, equal parts magnetic and charming with a perfect hint of tragedy behind his dark gaze.
For those expecting a steamy, sex-fueled romp between Elordi and Calva (as was advertised by Calva himself during On Swift Horses‘s production), it’s best to lower expectations in this regard. Sexy for sure, and the pair is great to watch as they balance desire, fear, and ambition, but, compared to many other great queer films, the film is rather tame. Which is a shame for Elordi in particular, who, between last year’s Priscilla and the upcoming adaptation of Frankenstein from Guillermo del Toro, is making a concerted effort to choose interesting projects that make use of his talents rather than his looks.
On Swift Horses portends that life is a gamble, but so is film. You win some, you lose some. For more information about On Swift Horses and TIFF, visit the festival website.
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