"There's no way this movie was ever going to be judged fairly. Still, this is a somber and elegant Western about a young boy (Patrick Scott McDermott) who is sentenced to hang for an accidental shooting, while an aging outlaw (Alec Baldwin) becomes the only person willing to insist that injustice cannot be remedied with more of the same. Western tales, like science fiction, can be helpful allegories for things that are too fraught for open discussion in the present day."
"In this case, it's the notion that society breaks down when decent people are afraid that speaking up about what they know is true and right will make them outcasts. Then, only those who are already cast out will guide the conversation. There's something else hovering over this movie that's impossible to ignore, and is largely responsible for people staying away from it."
Several lesser-seen 2025 films warrant renewed attention for artistic and emotional achievements that escaped mainstream audiences. Rust exemplifies this trend: a somber, elegant Western about a young boy sentenced to hang for an accidental shooting and an aging outlaw who insists injustice cannot be remedied with more violence. Westerns can serve as allegories for fraught contemporary issues, suggesting societal breakdown when decent people fear speaking up. The film also carries the weight of a real-life tragedy: a live round mixed with props killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after safety checks were bypassed, dampening public reception and attendance.
Read at www.esquire.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]