While western films often fall victim to the stereotypes that have been in place for decades, occasionally a film opts to be different. David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints is one of those, offering up a strong "'western" story, complete with well developed characters and an end game that doesn't give in to the genre's cliché tendencies.
Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck star as Ruth and Bob, an outlaw couple who find themselves in the middle of a shootout after a long crime spree leads the authorities to the Texas hills that they call home. Though Mara's Ruth injures a local police officer, Bob takes the fall. Four years later, Bob has escaped the hands of the law, and he will stop at nothing to meet back up with Ruth and their baby daughter who was born during his time in jail.
Serene landscapes complement a story that flows freely from start to finish. Rooney Mara gives an astounding performance, cautiously straddling the line between vulnerability and adolescence. Her demeanor leaves her true intentions a mystery as viewers anxiously await her next move as she maneuvers her way through the now uncertainty that is her life.
Casey Affleck proves a good companion to Mara, holding his own as a jail escapee looking to return home to meet his daughter for the first time. His demeanor is a bit questionable at times, given his crime history, but he pulls it all together just in time for a crazy final twenty minutes that had me leaning forward on the edge of my seat in high anticipation.
The film ultimately concludes right on cue, telling the story at hand without running it into the ground. As a result, Ain't Them Bodies Saints is a rare positive modern day entry into the often lackluster western genre.
