All the Pretty Horses (2000) User Reviews

The 35% movie that maybe originally was a minor classic?

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 9 January 2011]

All the Pretty Horses is directed by Billy Bob Thornton and adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel of the name name by Ted Tally. It stars Matt Damon, Penélope Cruz, Henry Thomas & Lucas Black. Marty Stuart scores the music and Barry Markowitz photographs it. Plot finds Damon as John Grady Cole, a young cowboy who travels with his best friend, Lacey Rawlings, from Texas across the border into Mexico. It's a journey that sees acquaintances come and go, love blossom and the harshness of the world become all too real to such young eyes.

A big financial disaster for Columbia Pictures and Miramax Films who lost nearly $40 million on the film. Serves them right I say, for Thornton's original cut was a long epic piece thought to be around three and a half hours in length. But good old Harvey Weinstein demanded drastic cuts to be made and Thornton had to trim it to just nearly two hours in running time. That's a lot of story gone astray, and boy does it show, no wonder Damon himself bitterly commented that to lose 35% of your movie ultimately leaves you with a completely different film. It's such a shame because although it's now a film chocked with flaws and flow problems, one can see that in its original cut there had to be at worst an involving rites-of-passage story.

So what are we left with? Well it's certainly not a donkey. It drips with period atmosphere and comes resplendent with a poetic beauty thanks to Markowitz's photography. Stuart's score too has the tone absolutely right, blending the old feel of the West with evocative arrangements for the more tender moments involving the protagonists: and there are tender moments, notably between Cole (Damon youthful but not really exuding a naivety for the age of the character) & Rawlings (Thomas effective and dominating his scenes). That the crucial relationship between Cole and Alejandra Villarreal (Cruz weak and lacking believability for the romantic strand) is barely formed can be laid at Weinstein's door. So too can the fact that a number of characters file in and out with blink and you miss them parts, sad when it's the likes of Robert Patrick and Sam Sheperd; and tragic in the case of Bruce Dern's judge; the latter of which is a crucial character in the final quarter but gets about three minutes screen time. Madness. Star of the movie is Black, who as young ruffian Blevins, manages to convey a deep sense of vulnerability. It's a critical role, one that affects the main character's lives, and thanks to Black's spirited performance we anxiously await what fate has in store for the lovable rogue.

So much good to sample, then, even if it feels like going out for a three course dinner and finding the main course is no longer available. It's hoped that one day we may get a directors cut from Thornton, only then you feel will All the Pretty Horses be revealed as a potential thoroughbred. 6/10

Passionate drama of life and death.

[michaelRokeefe · 6/10 · 3 March 2002]

Director Billy Bob Thornton fills the screen with awesome scenery and a hard hitting drama about two young cowboys from San Angelo, Texas meeting up with another young horseman and coming face to face with life altering situations in and out of a Mexican prison. Friendship stays strong to the bitter end. And love proves to be stronger than life itself. Matt Damon, Henry Thomas and Lucas Black are the hard luck cowpokes. Damon falls in love with Penelope Cruz and provides some steamy love scenes. There is more drama than action in this western, but you should find it very entertaining. Damon and Black are the most impressive characters in this well-made movie.

Torn.

[Peach-2 · 6/10 · 12 May 2001]

I really wanted to love this film and from the opening scenes to the last third I really did like this film. I love surreal films as much as the next guy, but this film seems like it was made by Oliver Stone on Valium. The film is really slow, now that can be a good thing, but in this case the pace just keeps getting slower and slower. I heard that Thornton's original cut ran almost four hours, it seems that the film has a whole other film missing from it. I didn't read the novel and I'm guessing that I should have read the novel because I couldn't figure this film out for the life of me. When it was all over I felt empty. The performances are all great, I especially liked Lucas Black in the role of Blevins. Matt Damon and Henry Thomas are both very good in their roles and this is first movie Penelope Cruz has appeared in where I could see that she has real talent and isn't just another pretty face. I loved the cinematography, the outdoor landscapes were beautiful. The film has all the flavor and no real substance. I am torn with this film, I wanted to love it so bad. Even great film makers slip every now and then.

Unreleased Potential

[jonathan_ley · 3 November 2004]

Cormac McCarthy's novel, All The Pretty Horses, the first part of his breath-taking Border Trilogy, is one of the most perfect source materials ever written. Add to this the impressive line-up of talent (Ted Tally adapting, Thornton directing, Matt Damon, back when he was a hot property the first time around, starring) assembled for the film version and it's fair to say my expectations were raised sky high. When the film came out it was buried by the distributor. I managed to catch it in the one week it played at a single cinema in Edinburgh and I would be lying if I didn't admit that the whole experience was a crushing disappointment. It wasn't that the film makers had ballsed the whole thing up, no it was much more frustrating than that. You could tell that somewhere in that film there was a masterpiece straining to get out. Individual sequences impressed but the whole thing moved at such a frenzied pace that the main characters' journey, a true rite of passage in the novel, had become damagingly truncated. The result was underwhelming but at the same time as been annoyed at the film I could tell it wasn't the film makers' fault. It was all too apparent that this was a great film that had had it's guts, it's heart, it's very essence, chopped out of it by a greedy distributor trying to market the film as some kind of Titanic / Young Guns cross over. Guess what, this movie was never going to appeal to the teeny boppers. If only the studio could have realized that and been true to the property they acquired in the first place. My suspicions were confirmed recently when I read an article wherein Matt Damon, a fine actor despite the criticism, claimed that Billy Bob Thornton's integral cut of the movie is the best he's ever been involved in. I don't know about you but that makes me want to see it. Apparently the studio are willing to release this extended cut on DVD (all revenue streams reach the ocean eventually) but Thornton won't settle for anything less than a full cinematic re-release. I can't say I blame him, I get the impression his film deserves at least that much. So for now I can't recommend this film, check out the novel instead and then the rest of Cormac McCarthy's back catalogue. But let's hope that in the not too distant future this film finally gets the treatment I suspect it deserves.

Better Late Than Never

[peters159-1 · 7/10 · 16 June 2006]

After seeing Matt Damon carrying "The Rainmaker" I sat up and became a real fan of the actor. In that movie he impressed me greatly. I decided to see what was he doing next. I read where he was slated to star in All the Pretty Hourses so I got a copy of the book to see what it was all about. I liked what I read and was looking forward to see Matt Damon in the effort. When I read where Billy Bob Thornton was to direct I became ecstatic, I remembered his acting and directing in Sling Blade. Later, I read where there was trouble with the length of All The Pretty Horses at the producer threatened to cut the movie. Mr Thornton's version ran almost 4 hours, the released version to theaters was 117 minutes. Of course I went to see the movie and could see that it should have been longer. Any movie buff could see that. What perplexes me is how studios and produces can contract certain directors and then butcher their completed work. Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time in America suffered a humiliation when the studio decided to cut his film drastically; it lost it's meaning, and money. Later, the DVD restored version, 225 minutes, came out and was instantly received by customers. Thank God David O. Selznick stuck to his guns with Gone With The Wind. And look at how much money that! made. Like some others I hope that some one one day will be able to assemble the 4 hour version of All The Pretty Horses so that those of us who love movies can at least see what we've missed. I think we deserve to judge the movie for ourselves. Who knows, we might be missing a masterpiece.

Penelope Cruz Is Prettier

[boblipton · 6/10 · 27 November 2021]

Westerners Matt Damon and Henry Thomas go on a wanderjahr to Mexico in the 1940s looking for the meaning to life. They get into all sorts of trouble, including Damon falling in love with Penelope Cruz, the daughter of the country's most important ranch owner. They go to prison, and the story meanders around a lot, with a lot of handsome vistas and a summing up by Bruce Dern. Lucas Black, as a wild youngster who is just as good as he says, is the most interesting character for me; I know a guy like that.

Despite a summing up by Bruce Dern, it's too unfocused to be absolutely top notch. Reports are that Miramax cut an hour from director Billy Bob Thornton's version, which might explain it.

Newcomers trying for old-style Hollywood feel, and failing

[moonspinner55 · 3/10 · 15 February 2002]

From Cormac McCarthy's novel about young man in 1949 Texas leaving the family ranch for a life in Mexico, and winding up in hot water. Despite mystical undermining (which, presumably, is what director/co-producer Billy Bob Thornton brought to the table), film has a distracting 'formula' feel: two-parts western, one-part forbidden romance, and one-part prison picture. None of it gels, simply because the screenwriter (Ted Tally, of all people) and Thornton are trying for the kind of heavy, romantic movie-western style popular 40 years ago, and yet they do not possess the subtle qualities to make this genre successful for them. Matt Damon frequently flashes his shy/self-conscious movie-star smile, but he's so clean and bland and laid-back, he's practically non-existent on the screen. Penelope Cruz, as his forbidden flame, is better, but the other performers are less charismatic, and the story has no center--it just rambles around. *1/2 from ****

A Politically Correct Movie With no Surprises

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 22 June 2003]

John Grady Cole (Matt Damon) is an American drifter, who moves to Mexico expecting to have a better life, but nothing works the way he has expected. "All the Pretty Horses" is a kind of predictable soap opera from Billy Bob Thorton. It is indeed a politically correct melodramatic story, with average performances and direction, although having an excellent cast with names such as Matt Dammon, Sam Shepard, Robert Patrick, Lucas Black, Rubén Blades, Bruce Dern and Penélope Cruz. For fans of Billy Bob Thorton, it is a very disappointing movie, but for lovers of linear romances, it is a beautiful movie, with wonderful landscapes and a message of loyalty and principles. "All the Pretty Horses" is a correct movie with no surprises. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Espírito Selvagem" ("Wild Spirit")

All the crummy plot lines

[Fever · 2/10 · 20 August 2001]

In an afternoon of chick flicks, this was one of our unfortunate choices. This tries to be much like "Legends of the Fall" with the the scenic shots, forbidden lovers, and dramatic story. Unfortunately, it doesn't get beyond the scenic shots. It's really sad when you could remove a main character from the entire movie and the "story" would still continue. Penelope Cruz is a slutty, boring piece of eye-candy that professes honor then sleeps with Matt Damon the second time she sees him. Then she whines that she has no honor left....hhmmmm. An what exactly was their love based on? There was no friendship, no development, nothing. Just riding in pastures then rolling in the sheets. After another hour of chases, beatings and lots of dialogue, we somehow end up back where the movie began and the credits roll. While the music is quite good and the cinematography is pretty, overall, it is a great disappointment. Maybe rent it if it's on the 49 cent rack.

too many pretty horses

[kos-27 · 6/10 · 28 March 2010]

May contain mild spoilers

All the pretty horses is a movie based on a Cormack Mc Carthy novel by the same name. I read the novel after I had seen the movie because I wondered why the movie left me so empty inside after watching it. I couldn't say that it was bad but I couldn't' find the passion and depth I usually find in Mc Carthy's work. The funny thing is that even after having read the book I couldn't find an instant explanation why the movie didn't work. The director didn't leave anything out and yet, the magic of the book was "lost in translation".

I will try to name some possible reasons:

1.The first thing that strikes me is the age difference. Matt Damon- though young looking-plays a teenager of 16,17 years. He can't hide the fact that he's over ten years older. Since one of the main themes of the movie is the coming of age, it doesn't work because the main protagonists are already grown up.

2.A second problem is Mc Carthy's poetic language that is totally neglected in the visualization. A director should know how to transfer the poetry of words into pictures. It's not impossible – many have successfully done it. If he can't do it, he should pick another type of genre to direct where poetry isn't needed.

3.There are some recurrent motives in the book like the guilt (and responsibility) the main protagonist feels for the death of a young boy. A second important motive is his respect for parental figures because he never had a real one. Unfortunately in the movie everything is told with the same pace ignoring to underline important motives or set priorities. The director seems to have one universal stylistic device and that is showing horses in all possible variations. It is just not enough.

Simplistic and dull.

[Val68 · 2/10 · 26 January 2001]

Though interestingly acted, the movie is ultimately disappointing.

Billy Bob played up the romance--the least interesting part of the

novel--and left out the more complex ideas that make McCarthy

worth reading. (Biggest crime: cutting the Duena Alfonsa almost

entirely out of the story.) I had high hopes, but found the movie

simplistic and dull.

You ain't never been struck by lightning. You don't know what it's like.

[film-critic · 10/10 · 2 March 2005]

I don't think I will ever understand the disappointing backlash against this film. What I witnessed was not your typical "western" film full of passionate love and implausible events. Instead, what I saw was beautifully captured images, powerful acting by Damon and Thomas, a story that twisted further down a darkened rabbit hole than I was expecting, and this challenging character study that gave us a brief insight to a world that will never be seen by our eyes again. This was not the romantic film that it was marketed as, this was not the adventure that it was marketed as, but instead it was the story of one character and the tribulations that effect him on his journey into the real world. It is the story of a very compassionate man that sees the honest darkness of those around him and must face the consequences of his actions. It showcases amazing acting that may be a bit disturbing for the unfamiliar eye, but to me was nothing short of brilliant. Billy Bob successfully adapted the story from the page, but it was not the film that he wanted. Miramax butchered this film in the marketing aspect, which ultimately hurt it overall. I will never understand why this did not receive the praise it should have, but will never be ashamed to bring it out for friends and family to enjoy. This film was like finding a dollar in the couch, an unexpected surprise that keeps a smile on your face the rest of the day.

I have read several reviews that just completely dismantle Damon's acting in this film. While his accent does fade in and out randomly, it is the way that he carries himself and reacts to the situations that unfold before him that really showcase the true acting ability of this star. While I do not think that Bennifer has made the best choices to challenge his career, Damon continually proves that he has the ability to be a force in Hollywood. This film alone proves it. He built this beautiful chemistry between him and Cruz that teetered on fear and sorrow. He showed his compassion towards Blevins and Lacey continually throughout the film showing that his idea of friendship was stronger than anyone expected. His strength and will shined brightly when he was ultimately faced with death. These are all moments where other actors would have cheapened it up and tried to fake the audience instead of showing the truth. I thought Damon showed us honesty, he showed us a part of him that I was not expecting. If you couldn't tell already, he really impressed me. But yet so did everyone else in this film. I honestly thought that the kid from Sling Blade, Lucas Black, would never work again, and I was skeptical of him in this film, but he was exceptional. He took us away from his character in Sling Blade and built a whole new name for himself. He took the challenges of this character and pushed them out of the television. The same can be said for Henry Thomas that continues to impress me with his ability to capture his moments and make them so real. Finally, Billy Bob did a great job of casting the rest of this film to bring the images and feelings of the time period to light. I could feel the dusty world of Texas and Mexico through the smaller characters that he cast.

Speaking of Billy Bob, could we not agree that these actors wouldn't have been half as good if it were not for the amazing direction behind the camera. I wish that I could have seen his version of the film instead of the choppy Miramax version. He has a very gifted eye, and while sometimes he takes roles that I think blur that eye, he always seems to rebound with a very riveting performance. He is constantly experimenting with genres and styles, and this film shows that he can break traditional boundaries. The images that he captured on film help create this darkness that surrounded our main characters. The scene with the thunderstorm I thought was beautiful, as was the rolling Mexican landscape. He places us into the film as more than just observers, and that is a sign of a great director.

Finally, I would like to pose the question of why Grady was so infatuated with Blevins? There were several moments during the film where he could have simply walked away from the boy, and Lacey even suggested it continually, but they always stayed with him. I realize that a main reason may be to develop the plot, but I think there was a more symbolic meaning. I feel that Damon connected with the boy because they had a kindred spirit. Damon was this passive, controlled character that never really understood himself until later on in the film, while Blevins was this wild-hair that never controlled himself or thought about his decisions. It was as if they were polar opposites, but yet they were perfectly matched. I think Damon liked him because it was what he aspired to be. I sometimes felt that the secondary characters were not real, and sometimes they were just imaginary images of what Damon wanted himself to be more like. This thought created a much darker picture for me that forced this film to go deeper into my mind and be more enjoyable than I thought.

Overall, I really liked this film. While others will definitely disagree, I thought that the acting, story, and especially the direction deserved more attention that what was handed to it.

Grade: ***** out of *****

Harvey Weinstein screwed it up

[rossfadam · 6/10 · 5 May 2012]

The book is great and Billy Bob was a good fit for it, but producer Harvey Weinstein screwed it all up. He wanted a two hour cut, even though from the offset it was clear the story needed a three hour epic sweep.

So you really shouldn't watch this obviously truncated version (35% was cut). Scenes are rushed and a film that was supposed to capture the feel and romance of the landscape falls flat. Apparently Billy Bob has the correct edit on VHS in his home. Matt Damon says this cut is the best film he's ever been involved in. Eventually this film will be released, so you all should just wait for it. Billy Bob talks humorously about all this on cinemablend.

The Weinsteins of this world are by no means villains, it takes a lot of hard work and guts to get where they have. But the same brute force that makes them successful can prove fatal where artistry is involved. Producers can be right - sometimes directors do need reigning in. Just not in this case. Harvey wasn't dealing with a wayward, self-indulgent director, and the story really did demand more time in its telling.

Plain and Dishonest

[carla_burn8 · 4/10 · 26 January 2014]

I had high hopes for this film, as it was based on a beautifully crafted, dry novel by Cormac McCarthy. Whose usual habit is to focus immensely on the harsh reality and depravity which often comes with human existence. I did not get the same enthralling sensation watching the film as I did when reading the novel. The film lacked in the quality which came with reading the novel and was utterly frustrating to view. Not to mention the fact that the novel was largely a coming of age text, as the two main protagonists were supposed to be 16 years old, however in the film they looked like they were in their mid thirties. In saying that, the film blatantly ignored that aspect of the original text. Don't watch the film if you've read the novel, it'll disappoint you.

Very fine "coming of age" film, but only for those who enjoy a good story over lots of action.

[TxMike · 31 May 2001]

I think the most accurate rating for "All The Pretty Horses" is "7.5" of 10, but I give it "8" since we can't do fractions on Imdb. I read some of the negative user reviews of this movie, and I must say those reviewers obviously don't know how to follow and appreciate a good story. That became more obvious when I read some of their other reviews. This is a story of two young men who knew nothing but 1940s Texas ranch life, and head out to Mexico for an adventure, to work as "cowboys" for a while. What they encounter is totally unpredictable, as well as how they handle their situations. Well-acted and beautifully filmed, this really is a fine movie. When appropriate, the actors pause, reflect, figure out what to do, as we would in real life. No "rapid fire" dialog here!

I saw the DVD version at home. The film opens with great horses sounds all around you, making full use of the 5.1 channels of DD surround. As you would expect, the picture is flawless. However, I was disappointed in the very spartan "extras" on the DVD.

CAUTION -- A SPOILER OR TWO FOLLOW --

John (Matt Damon) is the main character. His grandfather had just died, his mother, aspiring stage actress, is the only heir to the ranch near San Angelo, Texas, and decides to sell it to an oil company who will pay 3 times what it is worth. So, without a family and a ranch, John decides to take off for Mexico, about 150 miles south. His best friend, Lacey (Henry Thomas of "E.T." fame) goes with him. They cross the Rio Grande, and down the road meet up with a youngster, Blevins (Lucas Black) on a fine horse, and with a fine gun that he can use very nicely (Wallet now has a hole in it!). They suspect he is a runaway who might even have stolen the horse, but let him tag along. After a rainstorm, Blevins who is afraid of lightning, loses his clothes, his gun, and his horse. Approaching the next town, he sees his horse and gun and steals them back at night. Blevins goes his separate way.

John and Lacey encounter a herd of cattle and join the cowboys, get accepted as hands, "break" 16 horses in 4 days, inpress the owner, who asks them if they rode all the way from Texas by themselves. John notices owner's daughter, Alejandra (Penelope Cruz), she notices him, they develop a secret love affair. Owner finds out, doesn't approve, knows about Blevins, calls police on John and Lacey, who end up in jail with Blevins who had been there since they split up some weeks earlier. On the way to the penitentiary, Blevins is taken out and shot.

In prison, both John and Lacey, in separate incidents, get stabbed, John killing his attacker in the mess hall. Suddenly both of them are out, "bought" by Alejandra's father, in return she promises not to see John anymore. He gets her phone number, calls, meets at train station, they have a night together, John asks her to go to Texas where they will live happily ever after. Next morning she refuses, saying "I gave my promise, and if I don't honor that then I will have no honor."

John, in a daring move, retreives the 3 horses, gets shot in the leg, finds Lacey, and they head back to Texas. Over the border they are arrested without i.d., taken to the judge (Bruce Dern) who realizes John's story is real and orders them freed. At the end John's voice is heard, "There must be a God watching over us, otherwise how could we survive even a single day?"

romantic melodrama

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 19 February 2017]

It's 1949 San Angelo, Texas, John Grady Cole (Matt Damon) loses the family ranch after his grandfather's death and his mother sold it to live with her new husband in San Antonio. He convinces his friend Lacey Rawlins (Henry Thomas) to go with him to Mexico to find ranch work. They are joined by young Jimmy Blevins (Lucas Black) along the way but are uncertain of his trustworthiness. After some trouble with Mexican locals, the boys split up. John and Lacey get hired onto the large ranch owned by Don Hector de la Rocha (Ruben Blades). John takes an interest in the Don's daughter Alejandra Villarreal (Penélope Cruz).

Billy Bob Thornton's directions are luscious melodramatic romantic epic. It's a little long and winding. There are certainly ways to tighten it up but Thornton doesn't seem interested. A tighter edit could raise the intensity. The acting is generally good. This is a romance novel spilled onto the big screen.

Depth, meaning and simplicity

[djdrew103 · 7/10 · 20 March 2011]

It's not "True Grit" but it has its own purpose that deserves far better ratings than some give it. Some people tend to take their "mood of the day" and enlist it in their otherwise bland perception. This movie deserves more. It's not high excitement, and action adventure, but its noteworthy.

A simple story of three young riders that pursue a goal to travel to Mexico to take stock of a situation concerning legitimate horse trading and breeding, and how the ethnic differences and history divide and interrupt otherwise normal life sometimes to inevitable consequences.

Tragedy, sickened personalities and lack of justice involve the audience into what one can't help but be pure genuine interest in the plot and storyline.

Dull to some, but life wayn't chuck full of lightnin' fast draws and gun playin' nor overwrought with nothing other than second by second action scenes but more of an intrigue in personalty, honorable characterizations and simplicity of human nature and sometimes it's flaws fighting itself for virtuosity performed and carved out of the countryside between Mexico and the U.S.

The eventual climax of the movie should leave the viewer with a satisfaction for watching a movie that didn't waste your time.

Western Soap Opera with Overblown background and Music Score.Racist Too!

[jrphelan · 2/10 · 29 December 2000]

Golden American Texas boy comes to Mexico to show ignorant backward Mexicans how to be cowboys. How I loved the scene where the ignorant Mexican bunk hand does a shuffle dance for Matt Damon!!!! Racism hasn't gone out of style, it has just moved south!!!!! I had to walk out of the movie due to its cliche soap opera bad acted script. The only thing good about the movie was the scenery! Avoid at all costs!

Unique, beautiful Western with excellent score, but gaping holes in the story

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 23 April 2015]

Released in 2000, "All the Pretty Horses" stars Matt Damon and Henry Thomas as two West Texas cowboys, John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins, who are weary of all the fenced-in land in 1949 and so head to Mexico for freer pastures. There they meet up with a foolish juvenile (Lucas Black) before coming to a huge ranch where Penelope Cruze plays the owner's daughter, Alejandra. Unfortunately, unexpected problems surface. Miriam Colon plays the girl's staunch aunt and ranch matriarch while Sam Shepard and Bruce Dern have (very) small roles.

Billy Bob Thornton directed the movie based on Cormac McCarthy's novel and the original runtime was said to be around 3 hours and 12 minutes, but was cut at the insistence of distributer Harvey Weinstein to a mere 117 minutes (!). Similar circumstances forced Marlon Brando to cut his sole directed movie, 1961's "One-Eyed Jacks," from 5 hours to half that time and it turned out to be a Western masterpiece, but "All the Pretty Horses" was cut TOO much. Even an additional 20 minutes would've helped immeasurably.

As it is, there are gaping holes in the story. For instance, there is little build-up to Cole's love affair with Alejandra. "The Horse Whisperer" (1998), by contrast, is an excellent example of proper romantic build-up. Other questions abound: What did Alejandra experience in her life that made her brazenly risk her honor? What (specifically) was the source of her deep contempt for her aunt, who seemed to be just looking out for her? Why does Alejandra's father stay on close terms with Cole even AFTER it's discovered he (supposedly) lied to him? What led up to Rawlins' suicidal confrontation with a prison heavy and the same with Cole's deadly tassel? Also, it's subtly revealed that Cole, Rawlins and Blevins (the kid) have very different views of the world, but they're never fleshed out.

The original Director's Cut has been called a masterpiece by those who've seen it, and a release of it has been looked into, but the original composer, Daniel Lanois, steadfastly refused to license his score (which, unusually, he owns) to any release of the film. If they can't work it out, then why not just use the excellent score by Marty Stuart, which is the one used in the cut-down theatrical/DVD version?

As far as locations go, it's great to have a Western actually shot in West Texas rather than supposedly taking place in Texas, but being shot in Arizona, etc. It was equally shot in New Mexico.

Although "All the Pretty Horses" has a severely troubled post-production history, it's still worth catching DESPITE the holes in the story. It has magnificent cinematography and locations, formidable actors (Damon is perfect as the humble, respectable protagonist), a magnificent score/soundtrack, an epic tone and an unpredictable story. In short, it's a unique Western that not everyone's going to like because uniqueness polarizes opinion. It's not great simply because it was butchered in post-production, but it's still a quality film and, in many ways, a pleasure to behold.

Some criticize it as soporific and that's true in the sense that it's not a rollicking Western, like 2001's "American Outlaws," which plays like "Indiana Jones goes West." "All the Pretty Horses," by contrast, is a realistic Western drama with the tone of the aforementioned "Horse Whisperer," but with periodic actions sequences. It's a refreshing change from the typical in-your-face, loud, CGI-laden, foul-mouthed, unreal movies we have constantly rammed at us; and, again, the music's great.

GRADE: B-

I had high expectations. They weren't realized.

[ColinInLa · 2/10 · 21 January 2001]

Having heard so many positive things about the book, I was

eagerly anticipating the movie version of ' All the Pretty Horses.' But

from the opening montage of languid closeups, horse eyes and

such, I feared the worst. Thornton's heavy-handed attempts at

artistic profundity quickly became over-wrought and boring.

While starting with promise, the film quickly descended into a

morass of dullness. Half way through, I almost lost the will to live.

The pacing was so slow, the events so un-involving, I couldn't wait

for the end credits to roll.

Leisurely but Powerful Story of Honor.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 10 February 2013]

It's post-war Texas. Matt Damon and his buddy team up and ride across the Rio Grande to seek their fortunes. They meet, and lose, a sixteen-year-old companion along the way. They find a job at a Mexican horse ranch. The owner takes a shine to Damon, a buckaroo who knows his quarter horses.

Then, alas, buscar a la mujer. The owner's daughter, the delicious Penelope Cruz, shows up. She and Damon throw a few winks at one another and the next thing you know they're rolling around in the sack like two coyotes in heat. It's a fast, unexplored, and improbable romance. And, mind you, she is the owner's daughter and not meant for the likes of a handsome young Yanqui who owns nothing but his horse and saddle. Cruz's father and aunt get wind of this. Damon is warned but he cares not.

Pow -- Damon and his buddy are in a Mexican prison, charged with something or other. The sixteen-year-old wastrel they met on their way through the majestic mountains is also incarcerated, charged with the murder of two or three people, one of them a police officer. There is no capital punishment in Mexico, so after the corrections officers break the kids ankles they take him out in the desert and shoot him, while Damon and buddy watch helplessly.

The two Americans are bailed out by the wise and honorable and candid aunt of Penelope Cruz. Damon, alone, decides to return to the rancho and get it on again with Cruz. But he's brought before the stern aunt who tells him candidly that it's impossible. She gives him money and a horse and tells him to leave. Damon protests that he loves Cruz. "We all are cured of our sentiments," she tells him. "If life doesn't cure us, death will." It's a pretty good exchange. I assume it was lifted intact from McCarthy's novel.

The performances are pretty good too. Both Damon and his amigo, Henry Thomas, are convincing as polite but determined Texas youngsters, the kind who "won't change my mind because it's made up, and I'm not the kind of guy who changes his mind once it's made up" -- to quote another Texas youngster who became president. They're well brought up. "Yes, sir." "No, sir." I don't know how Cormac McCarthy, born in Rhode Island and raised in Appalachia, could have pinned down Southwestern character so well.

Billy Bob Thornton's direction has it finer touches. He doesn't spell out the obvious for us. When the miscreant kid is taken out to be shot, the execution takes place off screen and we hear only two separate gunshots and we see only the expressions on the faces of Damon and Thomas.

At the same time I wish Thornton had been able to avoid three common clichés, despite their pedigrees: choker close ups (Sergio Leone), slow motion (Pekinpah), and freeze frames (Truffaut).

It's a long and languid tale of an adventurer barking his shins against reality. It starts slowly but it picks up momentum as it moves along. And each time we think we've reached a climax, there's another one around the corner. The final one is a conversation between a remorseful Damon and a gentle judge, Bruce Dern, and it seems anti-climactic because heretofore Damon hasn't shown the slightest regret at the mayhem he now confesses to and appears to regret.

Visually stunning, but a stunted version of the book

[byhring2 · 5/10 · 7 January 2011]

All the Pretty Horses had its entertaining moments with believable characters, but it failed to capture the book's nostalgic luster. For the most part, All the Pretty Horses followed the generally accepted rule that books are usually better than the movies that are made after them. While it at least followed the same general plot of the book, it also shortened nearly every major episode, which down played the depth and general tone of nearly every scene. Pivotal moments were built up to a crescendo in the book, whereas the movie tried to speed through John Grady's story in an limited amount of time.

Sitting at just about 2 hours long, the movie could have(and should have) been made longer to give each epic moment some gravity. In my opinion Billy Bob Thorton may have gotten a better response if he had not punctuated the most dramatic, raw, and realistic moments that the story had to offer in order to keep the movie at a popular time length.

However, it had a good western feel in relation to the scenery and landscape. The acting is good enough and does a decent job at character development. To someone who enjoys this genre and has not read the book, there is a good chance it will be enjoyed. This movie may not be entertaining to those who expect a realistic and rugged style of a western, such as McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. For others, the natural beauty and John Grady's character development makes All the Pretty Horses a memorable watch. Reading the book could make all the difference.

I have enjoyed a lot more westerns than this one, a lot more, but I would also probably keep watching it if I came across it on T.V. Go ahead and give it a watch. 5.75/10

this lovely film hasn't been dumbed down to a simple formula

[vernoncoffee · 8/10 · 31 May 2005]

What sets this lovely film apart is that it hasn't been dumbed down to a simple formula. I looked up a number of reviews for this picture and found many of them gave it mediocre ratings, complaining it wasn't a good western, adventure flick or romantic film. They are correct, it isn't; thankfully because it isn't suppose to be. These reviewers have become benumbed by Hollywood's usual coarse handling, and misunderstand the subtly of this picture, ironically their criticism is praise.

The film isn't a Western, it uses the West as a setting to develop its two main themes, the first a celebration of being young and open to the vast possibilities of life, of diving in over your head. The second theme is commitment, what does it mean to be committed to the land, to a way of life, to family, to a buddy, to your word? How does commitment in one area effect your commitments in other areas? minor spoiler The film begins with two young men in west Texas laying on their backs, starring up at the stars and talking about the possibilities of life. John Grady Cole is about to head out for Mexico to look for work on a giant cattle spread, the kind that have largely faded from the American landscape, but still exist across the Rio Grande and he wants his buddy, Lacey Rawlins, to come along.

Personal difficulties add impetis to their fantasy and the two young men head south on horseback, where they meet up with a younger boy on the trail, Jimmy Blevins, full of spit and vinegar, but not much sense. Lacey immediately suspects Blevins is trouble, the John Grady is more friendly and sympathetic than wise, and they invite this accident waiting to happen to join them, who eventually gets himself and them in far more trouble than any of them are able to handle.

For those viewers who are looking for another quick action or romance fix, they will be seriously disappointed, but for someone, perhaps more literarily oriented, reflective about the meaning of life, this film is a delight.

All the Pretty Shots of Cruz.

[anaconda-40658 · 6/10 · 21 April 2016]

All the Pretty Horses (2000): Dir: Billy Bob Thornton / Cast: Matt Damon, Penelope Cruz, Henry Thomas, Lucas Black, Ruben Blades: Intriguing romance suggesting the many women in the world and the difficulties in obtaining trust. Matt Damon and Henry Thomas ride out to Mexico and are joined by a drunken reckless boy. They decide to help him steal back his belongings. They eventually end up taming wild horses. Damon has an affair before they land in prison. Both Damon and Thomas are met with the reality that connection to the boy was a mistake. Conversation about horses mating in different breeds regards Damon from Texas and Penelope Cruz from Mexico. One wonders why they would foolishly return to dangerous territory. Well directed by Billy Bob Thornton who previously made Sling Blade. Damon rides the fine line between love and danger but one wonders why anyone would decide to return to dangerous territory. Thomas is good but not necessary. It is as if the screenwriter couldn't find anything for him to do. Cruz is caught between love and family without much of a clear thought. Lucas Black plays a troubling drunken wretch who finds fatal consequences. Ruben Blades also brings strict reservations to the whole rule based community. Well made film with great symbolism and a theme regarding carefree risks where acting on impulse comes with a price. Score: 6 ½ / 10

The dullest film I've ever seen.

[UCLACraig · 1/10 · 28 December 2000]

I've never written a comment before, but I feel so compelled to because I don't want anyone else to waste 2+ hours of their life like I did. Although very beautiful (great landscapes, beautiful cast), this film has nothing in the way of plot.

Another reviewer (mcd2002) wrote that Matt Damon and Billy Bob Thornton said that "if only 10 people were touched by the movie, then the movie was made for only those 10." If you haven't already seen the film, take your chances that you're not 1 of those 10 people & save yourself.

Please don't see this film; I'm warning you.