All the Pretty Horses (2000)

Billy Bob Thorton isn't especially known for being a director, but he did direct this one, his first directorial assignment after Sling Blade (1996). I was interested to see if anything stood out that suggested his fingerprint. Overall, I'd say not. I did notice a few close-ups on eyes, but most of the scenes and shots looked pretty standard -- not that standard is bad. The early shots of the Texas and Mexico desert were well done.

The film itself logs in at just under 2 hours. Some reviewers indicated that the pacing was too slow; others note that Thorton's original cut was 4 hours long. So which is it? Is the pacing too slow? Or does the film need more time to work? I tend to think that the pacing was fine, and that yes, more time was probably needed -- to better develop all aspects of the story -- The friendship relationship, the conflict of losing John's (Matt Damon) family farm, the relationship between John and Alejandra (Penelope Cruz), and so on.

When John and his friend are working for the Don at the Mexican ranch, we basically see John and Alejandra fall in love, and the guys working with the horses. But why are they so easily arrested? Is it because John and Alejandra are together and her father doesn't approve? I'm guessing this is implied, but it's one of the parts that could have been better served with a little more development.

Overall, the first half of the film might be developed enough; it was the second half that felt most rushed to me and not fully developed. I haven't read the book, and so my analysis is simply on how the story works int he film itself. I'm not saying the film should be 4 hours long, but if Kevin Costner was involved, I have no doubt that this would be a 3-hour epic.

All The Pretty Horses is also the first novel in the Border Trilogy; that being the case, it would be nice, of course, if this movie had been made with the full trilogy in mind.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

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