If anyone needs extra proof that the western is a living and ever-renewing cinematic genre, then they can watch 'Slow West' (2015), the debut and the only feature film made so far by Scottish director John Maclean. It is a film that combines the idilic views of the great spaces of the road to the West from the classic American westerns with the gloomy and violent comedy of the recent productions of the Coen brothers and of Tarantino. However, the obvious model is that of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns. We also deal here with an international production with an American actor in the role of the (almost) invincible cowboy. This combination, concentrated in less than 90 minutes, is perhaps the best film of its kind made in the last decade.
The story is incredible, but isn't American history a mosaic of thousands of such incredible stories of adventure and discovery? Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a 16-year-old boy from a Scottish noble family, travels to America after the Civil War in search of his girlfriend and her father, both wanted by law and bounty hunters. His journey to the moving borders of Western America will be a journey of discovery of a continent full of dangers, of a nation in formation composed of a human mosaic of languages, customs and especially characters, and a path of coming to age and encounter with the violent realities of life and with the wickedness and rapacity of people. On his way he meets Sillas Selleck (Michael Fassbender), also a bounty hunter and a guy who is on the edge of the law, not clear which side, who offers to be his guide and protector to reach those they are looking for. Does he do it selflessly, or rather to get the $ 2,000 reward offered to those who will capture the father and daughter, dead or alive?
It's not a typical western story, but that's how most screenplays of films of this genre made in recent decades are. Jay Cavendish matures before our eyes, learns not to trust anyone because those who seem to be the 'good guys' turn out to be crooks or even criminals and anyone who wants to survive may be forced to kill in order not to be killed. The role is played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, a young actor who has also grown up since he played the role of the child in the post-apocalyptic melodrama 'The Road' and who creates an excellent role here. Michael Fassbender (who is also the producer) plays the role of Silas with obvious pleasure, with a reverence for similar roles made by Clint Eastwood decades ago. Robbie Ryan's cinematography is superb, both in the exteriors where New Zealand disguises itself in Colorado, but also in some interiors, with many memorable frames and creative and bold filming angles. There is no lack of humor, and the gallery of secondary characters composes a mosaic of the American West populated by adventurers and crooks from all over the world. The only dissonant note was the appearance of Caren Pistorius who interprets the role of Rose, the girl after whom Jay travels the world. Her interpretation is OK, but her makeup and especially the eyebrows are very 21st century-like and contrast with the authenticity of the rest of the film. However this is a minor observation in comparison with the many good reasons why 'Slow West' deserves to be seen by fans of the western genre and not only by them.
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