Normally, before I write up these reactions, I like to check the Wikipedia page if there is one to see if there's anything extra about the movie I want to talk about. For small movies, the average page has a couple paragraphs for the plot. There's a small section about production, another for the reception, and that's about it. Apparently, someone got very motivated for Ain't them Bodies Saints. That sucker is a few thousand words long. I don't know if that's a proactive move in preparation for the release of A Ghost Story* or if David Lowery has a more dedicated following than I realize.
*Which hasn't been released as of when I'm writing this
This movie has everything working in its favor. First of all, it has a cast that just keeps getting better. I knew Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, which would've been enough. Then Ben Foster shows up. Then Keith Carradine. And there's Nate Parker. Even Rami Malek gets a little part. That's a high hit rate for such a small cast and movie. Casey Affleck and Ben Foster have been in enough movies like this (The Assassination of Jesse James..., Hell or High Water, etc.) that I knew they'd be good in the setting. Rooney Mara is yet to be bad in anything I've seen her in (granted, I didn't see Pan).
I was surprised how little Mara and Affleck were on screen together. I could call it a fun play on the audience's expectation, but it was really just a let down. I got the feeling that Lowery wanted to make the film sparse, which I think works for it. It does get a little too plotty at times when Affleck is on the run to get the full effect of the sparseness though. I liked the movie well enough. I think Lowery's follow-up to this, Pete's Dragon, was much better, however, that's a very different movie.
Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend
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