The Bygone (2019) User Reviews (42)

slow paced , but has its highlights

[ops-52535 · 6/10 · 12 November 2019]

I knew this was a film from the present, but my goodness how this looked like a good ol' wild west cowboy love story, so if it hadnt been for the motorized wheels, the wind turbines and the galloping gerties, i wouldve accepted it. in a way it reflects the modern day wild west up the in the northern states , that attracts oil workers to come in steems, and with the steem the hardware store and the prostitutes for lust and entertainment are following close.

because its a story about one of theso prostitutes, and a native ranchers son whos has been a cowboy from the day he could straddle a horse. clashing togeter under serious circumstances he falls in love and promise her protection at the ranch. but the pimp wont allow that to happen and then the race is on.

there are some really ravishing bar fights and a lot of unfairness against the indian dame and the cowboy himself. the acting are merely great not superb. the spirit of the movie are gloomy , grey, dark and harsh visually and emotionally, so you are not entering a comedy, thats for sure.

but the grumpy old man have seen lots of films worse , also better ones, but it stings, thats for sure wether you like it or not. its a recommend

This movie could have been so much more

[latinfineart · 5/10 · 30 December 2019]

I enjoyed many aspects of this film. It was well shot, and the direction was competent. Acting was good and convincing. I wish the lead character had more spine, defensive skills, and was a bit more of a man. I suppose they were trying to make his character realistic, but living the life he lived, would tend to make a man more of a man than he appeared to be most of the movie.

There may have been a sense of realism to some of the characters in this film. But, the bad guys were drawn a bit too evil, and the sheriff was drawn a bit too naive. The performances otherwise were very good.

It felt like the director was going for something mythical, especially in the last scenes. They felt a bit over the top. The villain was given way too much leeway. When you have a chance in this life to waste garbage, you pull the trigger.

It is an important topic, one that most Americans do not seem to want to have anything to do with. We wasted Native culture once, and we continue to ignore their plight, for the most part. The comments about political correctness, from some other reviewers is simply guilt carried over for generations.

A western noir? It works and entertains

[andletlive · 7/10 · 12 December 2021]

Ok writing, good directing and acting. It does have some flaws but holds its own as a thriller.

The story takes place in a rural area where the oil industry erodes the traditional country/cowboy life and brings big city crime. The environment is not clearly portrayed, but the characters are developed enough to not feel a stereotypes, and the story feels realistic and interesting.

At the center of the story are young people from the bottom of the social ladder, unable to find a place and victimized by various corrupt characters. That's as much as we are shown about their environment, except for other unsavory characters and a handful of honest people trying to make a living and helping.

Within the above limitations, the scenes and dialogs are well developed and directed, and the plot twist and turns frequently making this also an action flick that holds interest to its end.

A modern western

[nickpedersen · 7/10 · 19 February 2020]

The movie is well directed and there is some nice locations. The cast is not very well known, but they did an okay job I think. Its not a blockbuster, but it kept me interested all though some scenes could have been better.

Worth the watch

[dcoydcoy · 6/10 · 30 November 2019]

Well acted and keeps you interested. But...unoriginal, predictable, and unrealistic.

Sometimes I wonder if I watched the same movie

[tkell31 · 3/10 · 27 March 2020]

I know I cant have watched the same movie that got 9 and 10 star reviews. About the only positives I can come up with are at times it was visually pleasing, production values were good and it tackled the serious issue of human trafficking. That is literally where the positives end. The acting ranged from mediocre to terrible, the plot was beyond convoluted, the characters thrown together more to make points then to be part of a convincing story.

I'm not even sure how you mess up a human trafficking plot, but they managed to do it by trying to make it not about money, power and control, but some misguided feelings the trafficker was supposed to have for his victim. It is cringeworthy to the extreme. The setting, a dying west, is tired and largely meaningless other then as a canvas for the message of white sexploitation of Native American women. Yet by adding the element of affection? it completely dilutes the message. More so it does it in a completely unconvincing fashion.

As for execution. Each scene seems like an independent undertaking with nothing flowing together. All in all it fails to create a fabric and instead feels like boxes being checked off with completely undeveloped characters moving around like puppets. Violence is sprinkled on the concoction like an too many toppings on an overly sweet sundae.

Forget all the PC nonsense this is just a poorly made and executed movie with a bizarre end tacked on because, well, why not? Ultimately my rating is based on not only on how mediocre it was, but how I would never want to have to watch it again.

A four because the acting wasn't bad. Otherwise, a garbage story.

[festus-26986 · 7/10 · 29 March 2020]

So, according to Netflix, fracking is the villain here. Not human trafficking, the usual movie "buzz". Totally predictable by Hollywood standards. If you're from ND or even remotely know anything about it, you know that Cavalier County is about a half days drive, at 80mph from the nearest oil well. There's no such place as "South Falls, ND" and our zip codes all start with a "58". Typical Hollywood garbage. I would have thought Michael Moore wrote the script, except that I don't remember "fracking" being mentioned even once.

Political correctness garbage masquerading as a western.

[Tyndareon · 1/10 · 13 November 2019]

Absolute zero. From the opening credits, declaring that there was no sexual violence in America before Europeans brought it with them - I mean how stupid can someone be? - to the bitter - and ridiculous - end.

The protagonist is typically a sickly, pale, skinny white male with less testosterone than a rock, a sniveling little man-child, always getting beaten or helped out by others, with zero strengths or smarts, just a big ol' moral compass, telling others what to do with no idea how to actually do it.

The plot is just as dumb; the aforementioned genius steals a prostitute from her whorehouse and lo and behold, her pimp wants her back - and he does get her with no effort or feeling, the white knight is just that useless. What happens next is just as strenuous to the viewer's grip on reality and hardly entertaining. When they finally introduce the oil tycoon = racist serial killer arc it's so over the top it's hilarious and surreal.

This movie checks all boxes of cultural decline and alienation from truth. There's something stupid or harmful being spat in literally every other sentence. The fact that they seem so noticeable may detract from the very real danger of being so permeated by lies you'll stop registering them. Your mind is a neural network; don't train it with garbage.

It had the potential for a 10

[impy-55356 · 7/10 · 21 June 2020]

The filming was great, not cheap. The actors were pretty good. Not stiff and wooden.

I read a few reviews that hated the lead male for being a "wimp". The irony of their review being so negative about that...it was kinda the point. He was young, inexperienced/naive, and heavily influenced by his mother in gentleness. He was tough when he needed to be and only after he realized that was the only thing that would work. He grew up.

My problem with the movie was the mixed messages and unfinished business. I thought the movie was trying to teach us that oil fracking was bad, yet the repercussions/outcomes/impacts was barely touched. The story background on the sex slavery was foggy. It was a great opportunity to shed some light on a real problem, yet there was almost no detail. It was primarily about one native woman, in particular. Clearly, she had been tricked into the sex slavery. The story had a chance and even started to tell more about it with the other native women...but nothing - it needed a much stronger message. They just appear and disappear. We don't even find out what happens to the group of 3 women from the shelter that the villain re-kidnaps. I guess some of those parts might have wound up on the cutting room floor - it felt a bit jarring and, well, unfinished.

Otherwise, I rather liked the twist at the end. I knew something was coming with the hero's uncle but even that took me by surprise. I don't want the endings to be completely boring and predictable, so that was good.

boring movie and bad taste of story

[louiedavec · 1/10 · 24 August 2020]

It made me sleep because its so boring.the story line is just shallow and too predictable.

Captivating drama

[Calicodreamin · 8/10 · 27 March 2020]

A captivating drama following kip, a young cowboy, as he tries to find and save a young woman being held captive. The cinematography was well done, the acting pretty good, and the storyline had a nice flow. I found myself drawn into the story and into the characters. It was obviously low budget, but well done.

Good Movie, Some Inaccuracies

[akasunaks · 7/10 · 20 April 2020]

I enjoyed this movie, but there were some inaccuracies that kept me from enjoying it to the fullest. Being from North Dakota, I have quite a bit of background of where places are. Some of the places mention did not line up with their actual locations. Waniya says that she is from Berthold, since they mention Mandaree after that, I assume they mean Fort Berthold Reservation. There are two problems with that: 1) Madaree is not above the Missouri like Waniya says and 2) the description says that he works to rescue a Lakota girl, but Fort Berthold is home to the Three Affiliated Tribes, not the Lakota. Next, There are no armadillo in North Dakota. Finally, there are not as many windmills in North Dakota as the movie depicts.

New age garbage western

[coreyjpier · 1/10 · 24 November 2019]

This has to be the ultimate politically correct trash want to be western. The protagonist was a wimp who had no backbone or guts. He was useless the whole movie and contributed nothing but Literal crying and calling the local sheriff to solve his problems. I hated every second of this movie.

Someone got paid for this?

[johnymt · 2 April 2020]

Seriously. Is this a joke? From the opening graphic to the closing credits this makes "Springtime for Hitler" look like " Citizen Kane"

Suspenseful. Solid.

[nickjpro · 7/10 · 4 November 2023]

Synopsis: Young white man (kip) goes to brothel and sees prostitute Native woman (Waniya aka Laura) being abused by a John and he saves the damsel in distress. He takes her back to his dads ranch and tries to get her to stay but her pimp is obsessed with her and tracks her down and takes her back. Kip involves the local sheriff and some creepy guy named Beckett who acts like an uncle but I am not sure if they were blood related or not. Beckett says he will put the word out and does but we later find out it wasn't to save Waniya or help Kip. The sheriff tries to help but for some reason goes after Paris the evil supervillain pimp and ends up getting killed. Waniya tries to escape Paris repeatedly but somehow he always gets her back. Eventually, Paris decides to leave town for good and sells Waniya off to Beckett who turns out to be a Custer obsessed maniac serial killer/Indian woman killer and grapist?!! (WTF).

Paris kills kips dad right before Waniya is turned over to Beckett's man by Paris. Bear the ranch hand Indian takes the dying dad to the hospital while Kip goes after Paris and Waniya on his mutilated horse with two old decoration pistols. His dad tells him to go to a mine where he finds Waniya just in nick of time. She had just stabbed the creepy Beckett as he was attempting to grape her after hanging her (? Again wtf?). Kip shows up and kills Becketts man "White" who is guarding the creepy mine/grape/kill chamber. Paris was so obsessed with Waniya that he he saw her old school ID in his car while driving away and turned back. He comes back and everyone fights...they finally kill him but Kip has been shot. The shots don't appear to be fatal though and the movie ends there.

Review: Overall it is a good movie in my opinion. It is clearly not a very good movie or a great movie but it has good cinematography and the storyline is interesting. I thought the acting was very good all around. The main downsides are with the writing and characters. Kip is extremely timid and portrayed as physically unimpressive so its hard to believe that he could do some of the things he does especially since he barely has any help with tracking or killing the villain. Waniya not warning Kip about her pimp from the beginning is also strange and unexplained...also if he was so obsessed why would he even leave her alone with some drunken john who didnt look like he was the high paying type? None of that makes any sense. The villain Paris is probably the most ridiculous character in the whole movie. He is basically invincible with amazing fighting skills. He survives gun shots wounds and fights like Liam Neeson. I think they went a little too far with that character. There are some other questionable plot points and characters but it is suspenseful, thrilling and worth a watch in my opinion if you like this time of movie.

Finding native(s)

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 10 September 2022]

The message the movie has is a good one. As in putting awareness on something many may not be aware of. Like how native Americans are being exploited - especially females in this case. As the opening text tells us, way more than any other group of females.

The movie is dramatic, has characters who try to do their best (well the good guys and gals that is) - but is it enough to fight back the ugliness and badness they have to face? Will there be something good that comes out of it? Apart from those viewing realizing how extreme some people can be - and how evil too.

Not an easy topic and not an easy movie therefor ... maybe not your thing which would totally be fine. Just be aware what you are going to watch.

Wasted of time

[Jdrappi · 2/10 · 7 April 2020]

There are so many issues with this movie. I wish I had my time back.

How do you stick a knife in the side of tire on a moving car. Impossible

Waniya only called the police once? she had plenty of chances Unrealistic.

The ol' stick a chair behind a door trick that doesn't actually work to stop a door from opening unless there's a block secured to the floor.

These are just a few of the issues with this movie. It's not a good flick by any means.

"... who's to say cowboys and Indians all disappeared?"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 2 March 2021]

This isn't a bad little film from an independent production company, despite all the negative reviews to be found here. I hadn't heard or seen any of the principals in the picture before, and they did a credible, if elementary job in their respective roles. The story involves human trafficking for the purpose of selling Native American women into prostitution, a hideous subject to be sure, and an unlikely one for a neo-noir, modern day Western, but it serves as an interesting subject. The main bad guy is the one who stands out here, Dominic Chapel, going by the name of Paris (Shawn Hatosy) is an opportunist who victimizes young Indian women by treating them nicely at first, and then kidnapping them into his web of corruption. The hero in the story is atypical in the sense that for most of the story he's powerless, getting beat upon and finding it a struggle to stand up to the bully and his stand-by thugs. But from the moment Kip Summer (Graham Phillips) inadvertently saves Laura/Waniya (Sydney Schafer) from an aggressive predator, he takes it upon himself to deliver her from a tortured existence at the hands of her tormentor. There's also a side story that will remind you of countless B Westerns whereby Kip's uncle Beckett (Ritchie Coster) attempts to finagle his brother's (Jamie McShane) vast ranch out from under him with the intent of procuring an oil pipeline. The finale ratchets up to an inevitable conclusion in which the showdown between Kip and the merciless Paris is somewhat predictably handled by Waniya, who ultimately finds the courage to stand up for herself. In another nod to countless Westerns of all stripes, the hero and the girl take that fateful ride on horseback, if not into the sunset, at least to the prospect of a better life.

What the heck did I just watch?!

[BranWick007 · 1/10 · 18 July 2020]

This had so much promise, and then went so badly off the rails midway through that it destroyed all the good that had come before it. Very cliched and just downright stupid. Really just a stinking bad movie. It gets 1 star for the horse.

So John Boy turns badass.

[dcampton · 6/10 · 24 October 2021]

Human trafficking is a horrible, yet profitable business. Better watch your ass if you wanna play in that game.

It's a rather slow watch. You got a meek cowboy trying to rescue some chick he accidentally encountered. And blah de blah, wants to be a knight in shining armor at whatever cost.

Two hours wasted of my life

[jerryp65 · 2/10 · 8 February 2020]

Bad script, lousy acting, weak plot, predictable. The pimp was the almost hero in this politically correct new age western as he was the only man with 'cojones'. The square peg antagonist and his girl were the weak and naive.

Gritty with genuine heart

[melsabaawi · 10/10 · 14 November 2019]

I highly recommend this movie. It is a visual treat and an homage to art film with long framed shots against spectacular backdrops. I believe it was filmed in Oklahoma. This isn't your regular nomadic cowboy feature. You can expect shootout, cowboys, epic music, and majestic horses. However the heart of the story will have you holding back tears. Graham Phillips delivered an important performance in his rising career which will without a doubt get him noticed as a leading man.

The plot is gritty yet portrayed with true heart. Characters are well written allowing ebb and flow in their delivery. It didnt feel like any character was secondary to the plot. Even though they don't get a lot of screen time together, The contrast of character delivery between both Phillips's protagonist and Shawn Hatosy's antagonist is felt throughout the movie heightening the tension. Kip's (Phillips) warmth is the perfect balance to Paris's (Hatosy) darkness. The use of light and frame perspective definitely had me running to my camera as it ignited my passions for art cinema.

There is a line in the movie where Kip (Phillips) claims he is a sucker for Westerns. Considering he co-wrote and co-directed the movie, he definitely delivered his passion through the lens.

Sex trafficking

[fmwongmd · 5/10 · 2 April 2020]

The story of sex trafficking in the Dakota oil fields involving indigenous girls is very disturbing. The depraved person behind the crimes seems very contrived.

Want to know what feeble means? Then watch this movie

[santiagocii · 3/10 · 18 April 2020]

It is literally what the opposite of a any man in this planet should be. The depiction of a useless, frail human being with a manhood attached to it.

It is so bad that is infuriating. Period.

A Movie Made in TX Using ND References

[zbcwqxs · 3/10 · 4 December 2021]

ND native here. Pretty sure there's no armadillos here. Or longhorn cattle... Most of the cast had TX or LA accents. Only thing resembling ND would maybe be the oil boom.