Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Cast of Characters:

Bob Muldoon - Casey Affleck

Ruth Guthrie - Rooney Mara

Patrick Wheeler - Ben Foster

Sweetie - Nate Parker

Will - Rami Malek

Skerritt - Keith Carradine

Director - David Lowery

Screenplay - David Lowery

Rated R for some violence

      Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Ben Foster and Academy Award winner Keith Carradine star in David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints.

      In 1970's Texas, Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) is an outlaw who, following a shootout with the local law enforcement, takes the fall for both him and his wife Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara) - who was responsible for shooting local sheriff Patrick Wheeler (Ben Foster). Bob willingly surrenders to the cops, but not before promising to return to both his wife and unborn child, so long as she promises to wait for him.

      A few years go by and Ruth is still waiting as she raises her daughter on her own. Over time, she has befriended Sheriff Wheeler, who breaks the news to her that her husband has escaped from prison. Bob, now a fugitive, is doing everything he can to return back to his wife and the daughter he has never seen.

      We've seen this type of narrative before, and while it is a straightforward and conventional plot, I couldn't help but be captivated by how beautiful writer/director David Lowery was able to let this bittersweet romance unfold. Clearly influenced by Terrence Malick, Lowery's vision here is smartly paced, often times poetic and gorgeously shot (courtesy of cinematographer Bradford Young), capturing the beautiful Texas Hill Country in ways sure to keep your eyes fixated on the screen. On top of that, we have Daniel Hart's musical score, which fits the mood of the film just right. Lowery is also able to bring the very best out of such a talented and pitch perfect cast. Casey Affleck proves once again just how underrated of an actor he is. Even something as small as the way he delivers his narrative lines just draws you in. His character never begs for my sympathy like a panhandler, yet I still found myself pulling for him to reunite with his wife and little girl. Rooney Mara gives one of her best performances to date, as does Ben Foster. Foster has caught my eye since Hostage and Alpha Dog, yet it was getting to the point where I was like, "Oh, great, what high-strung oddball is he playing now?" Then I saw The Messenger which showed he can pull back and show restraint. Here, Foster is restrained and subdued in one of his better performances and he shows once again that he can play outside his "comfort zone". Overall, everyone wisely shows restraint and if there really was someone you'd call a "scene stealer" here it'd be Keith Carradine as the fiercely protective neighbor of Ruth and her daughter. Carradine has such a wonderful screen presence and really commands every scene that he is in, without ever going overboard, which is what you'd expect from a veteran performer such as him.

      Ain't Them Bodies Saints doesn't break any new ground, and the title is certainly a head scratcher. That said, don't let the film's name turn you off from seeing this, 'cause the all around perfect cast and Lowery's direction more than make up for any flaws this movie may have. It is a small film, but I liked it that way. I just may have even enjoyed it less had it tried to be anything bigger than what it was. With this being just his second feature length film, Lowery shows he has the potential for quite a promising career ahead of him. I give Ain't Them Bodies Saints an A- (★★★½).