THE MUSTANG – Review

THE MUSTANG is an impressive indie prison drama marking the directional debut of French actress Laure De Clermont. It tells a moving story based on a real program involving inmates and wild horses.

THE MUSTANG is the story of Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts), an inmate at a Nevada State prison and a man of few words. Not only does his bald and hulking physique make for a threatening presence, his terse and brooding disposition adds to his menace. He’s a heavily-tattooed caged brute doing stints in and out of solitary confinement. His crime isn’t revealed until near the film’s end but it’s hinted that his beastly exterior masks a deep anguish. His relationship with his pregnant daughter Martha (Gideon Adlon), who visits, is strained, and he even loses his temper when she comes to ask him to sign some papers. She wants to make a better life for herself and her baby by selling her mother’s home and moving away, something he knows will divide them even further.  A chance for redemption arrives when a prison psychiatrist (Connie Britton) recommends Roman for a rehabilitation program that involves training wild mustangs for eventual sale at a public auction.

The program’s manager Myles (Bruce Dern) assigns Roman to his most uncontrollable horse, whom the convict names Marquis. He’s given just twelve weeks to whip the animal into shape before the auction, which because of the untamed nature of both horse and prisoner, could be a challenge. Like Roman, Marquis has been penned up in an isolated enclosed cage, battering and kicking at the door. With the assistance of fellow inmate Henry (Jason Mitchell), Roman learns what it takes to discipline Marquis and, in so doing, becomes a better person. Things take a dangerous turn when Roman’s cellmate Dan (Josh Stewart) blackmails him into stealing horse tranquilizers, threatening the safety of his daughter if he refuses.

The metaphor between man and beast may seem a bit heavy-handed but director  Clermont-Tonnerre tells this  simple, minimalist story well. The music by Jed Kurzel and the cinematography by  Ruben Impens  are superb while the grim details of prison life seem real. De Clermont does a great job getting the right performances out of her cast. Matthias Schoenaerts doesn’t say much and when he does, it’s barely a whisper, but it’s a powerful turn, one where he seems like he could explode at any minute. Bruce Dern has a nice meaty role here with several excellent speeches. De Clermont also succeeds in hinting at the threat of violence that simmers beneath the surface, boiling over at unexpected moments. This is important because it serves as a reminder that this isn’t a film about men training horses but one about dangerous men training horses. When the details of Roman’s crime are revealed, it’s quite horrific, and dampen the sympathy the audience has developed for this character. THE MUSTANG is a highly-recommended gem.

4 1/2 of 5 Stars