The Harder They Fall
Director: Jeymes Samuel
Writer: Jeymes Samuel, Boaz Yakin,
Starring: Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, Delroy Lindo RJ Cyler, Edi Gathegi, Damon Wayans Jr., Woody McClain, and Danielle Deadwyler
Reason for watching: Awards season contender (hopefully)
Number of times I’ve watched it: first time viewing
***
Netflix really might be one of the last great production studios left. It is not because they have the most intellectual property. It is not because they have the most money to play with. Nor is it because they are almost everyone’s homes in the United States. But because when push comes to shove, if a filmmaker or show runner has a great idea and a solid script, they will get out of the way and let them make whatever their heart desires. It worked with Stranger Things, Ozark, and The Irishman just to name a few. And it certainly worked with The Harder They Fall.
Following outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) in the Old West, Love pursues the recently released from prison Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), the man who killed his father. He will need help from his fellow cowboys, and he gets it from Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), Bass Reeves (Delroy Lindo), and Cathay Williams (Danielle Deadwyler). But Buck has a battle-hardened crew as well with Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield); and they are in for a fight. Along the way, both crews have difficult decisions to make that will determine who will live and who will die.
Right away, one has to recognize the star power in this cast. Majors has truly emerged on the scene with his roles here and on Loki and Lovecraft Country. He has an incredible ability to shift quickly from confident and suave to intense and action-ready. Backing him up, Elba, King, Beats, Lindo, and Stanfield are all capable of leading their own movies and each of them get enough time to truly make their characters human. Honestly, I wish this movie could be followed up with a TV show so we can dive even deeper into each of these characters. Additionally, Deadwyler gives a breakout performance. I ashamedly admit that I had never heard of her before, but I am excited to see what else she will do.
What adds to the terrific cast is the old west feeling you get. Every moment is oozing tension. It feels like at any second someone could get shot and that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Cameras focus on excellent landscapes and the old west towns. It made me want to go back and play Red Dead Redemption 2 again. While I wish there were more actual fight scenes, it makes up for it by having super entertaining ones and having a terrific final battle between the two gangs.
Throughout the movie is an interesting theme of the ghosts that haunt you. Each of us has a past and pre-existing trauma whether we like to admit it or not. The Harder They Fall captures it excellently with the history between Love and Buck. Both men know that they have to face each other and that at least one of them will not walk away from their encounter. Their history together is what forces them together. Getting to see how this affects both of their psyches is interesting to watch play out.
Pound for pound, this really is the best movie of the year so far. Director and writer Jeymes Samuel deserves the credit he should get. Hopefully, this movie gets some awards buzz. It is sorely deserving of it.
9/10
Until I see another one