I liked it but certainly a bit slow. There wasn't enough of the backstory and not a movie for everyone. I gave it a 7 rating, but I think it could have been better.
28 Reviews
Indi Film
josh-4819115 May 2022
Really beautiful movie.
oman12310 August 2022
Watched it by myself. Enjoyed every bit of it. Very simple, but touching. It can happen anywhere in any family in life.
Sister and brother relationship. The nurse who has come from far away to serve the patient performing his duties calmly.
Sister and brother relationship. The nurse who has come from far away to serve the patient performing his duties calmly.
Kill Time Movie That is Not that Bad
zorroaca2 July 2022
Acting is ok but the story is not that new. In fact the story could be worse. But this low budget film is watchable and has it's good points (even though some dimwit did leave out plucking the chicken). Moving on... the characters are believable and and the inclusion of Native Americans is refreshing.
A forced family reunion as dad is on his deathbed. Totally absorbing.
TxMike9 October 2022
I had two good reasons to want to see this movie. Back a few years ago we all spent the month of June on vacation in Montana, a beautiful state. And second I love Haley Lu Richardson, she is a really good actress and always a joy to watch. Here she is 25-yr-old Erin who disappeared seven years earlier after some bad family drama. Her half-brother is played by Owen Teague as 22-yr-old Cal (named after Cal Ripkin Jr.). Interestingly both actors were the same ages as their characters during filming.
So their dad, a high-powered lawyer and a tough, seemingly too tough, disciplinarian had a stroke and now is in hospice care, in a coma, barely being kept alive. Both moms are dead and the siblings come for what will likely be the last visit. We can see all the relationships are strained, watching we gradually learn all the things that transpired and led Erin to flee to upstate New York without telling any family members.
This is not a movie for fans of action movies, there is no action. It is a family drama and it plays out very authentically and very well. Of course cinematography takes ample advantage of the scenery, the mountains are grand.
At home on DVD from our public library, we enjoyed the movie.
So their dad, a high-powered lawyer and a tough, seemingly too tough, disciplinarian had a stroke and now is in hospice care, in a coma, barely being kept alive. Both moms are dead and the siblings come for what will likely be the last visit. We can see all the relationships are strained, watching we gradually learn all the things that transpired and led Erin to flee to upstate New York without telling any family members.
This is not a movie for fans of action movies, there is no action. It is a family drama and it plays out very authentically and very well. Of course cinematography takes ample advantage of the scenery, the mountains are grand.
At home on DVD from our public library, we enjoyed the movie.
family trauma
ferguson-626 May 2022
Greetings again from the darkness. Watching two of our most talented young actors do their thing within the framework of old-fashioned storytelling and a breathtaking geographic setting is just about as good as it gets in independent filmmaking. The pacing may be a bit slow for some viewers, but the joy here is in watching two actors own their characters and battle through the emotions that tore apart a family.
Co-writers and co-directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel previously collaborated on WHAT MAISIE KNEW (2012) and BEE SEASON (2005), and are joined this time by co-writer Mike Spreter. We certainly can debate the script's handling of specific moments, but Haley Lu Richardson (OPERATION FINALE, 2018, the underrated COLUMBUS, 2017, SPLIT, 2016, and THE BRONZE, 2015) and Owen Teague (best known for the two recent IT movies, and he's also delivered in two recent films, TO LESLIE and THE COW) are the reason we buy in quickly and stay engaged to the breakthrough.
Cal (Mr. Teague) returns to the ranch where he grew up when he's notified his father has had a stroke and is in a coma on life support. Cal readies the ranch for a bankruptcy sale and tends to the other business issues while Kenyan nurse Ace (Gilbert Ouwor) takes care of the father. Longtime housekeeper Valentina (Kimberley Guerrero, Winona from "Seinfeld") helps when she can, but the ranch itself, including some chickens and an arthritic 25-year-old horse, Mr. T, aren't much better off than Cal's comatose dad. Cal is shocked when he sees that his estranged sister Erin (Ms. Richardson) has returned in order to say goodbye to their dad.
The film is at its best as Cal and Erin (I'm sure it's a coincidence that the EAST OF EDEN siblings were named Cal and Aron) strain to avoid the discussion of what caused the split. It takes a while for us to get the details, but the scene is devastating for both characters, and the actors pull it off beautifully. A single night, seven years ago, blew up a family and led to broken trust and pent-up anger and animosity in Erin, and near debilitating guilt and sadness in Cal. Doing the right thing plays a recurring role here in regards to Erin's high school article, Cal's decision on Mr. T, and their dad's job and actions.
Family relationships can be tainted and forever altered by a traumatic event, and rebuilding that trust requires raw pain and emotion ... and even then, there are no guarantees. Additional supporting work is provided by Eugene Brave Rock and Asivak Koostachin, each of whom bring a touch of humor to their character ("sentimental horsey girl") - or perhaps it just seems that way due to the intensity of Erin and Cal. There is a terrific scene where Cal and Erin 'negotiate' her spontaneous purchase of a pickup and trailer, and the meaning is hard to miss as Erin educates Cal on Dante's circles of Hell in "Inferno". Kudos to rising stars Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague for capturing a strained sibling dynamic and showing how trauma can have varying effects. Thanks also to cinematographer Giles Nuttgen (HELL OR HIGH WATER) for the sprawling Montana landscape and mountain vistas. This is a "western" only in the sense that it takes place out west and in near isolation, with most folks only speaking when necessary. It is a kind of showdown between brother and sister, but the weapons are words and memories, not pistols.
Co-writers and co-directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel previously collaborated on WHAT MAISIE KNEW (2012) and BEE SEASON (2005), and are joined this time by co-writer Mike Spreter. We certainly can debate the script's handling of specific moments, but Haley Lu Richardson (OPERATION FINALE, 2018, the underrated COLUMBUS, 2017, SPLIT, 2016, and THE BRONZE, 2015) and Owen Teague (best known for the two recent IT movies, and he's also delivered in two recent films, TO LESLIE and THE COW) are the reason we buy in quickly and stay engaged to the breakthrough.
Cal (Mr. Teague) returns to the ranch where he grew up when he's notified his father has had a stroke and is in a coma on life support. Cal readies the ranch for a bankruptcy sale and tends to the other business issues while Kenyan nurse Ace (Gilbert Ouwor) takes care of the father. Longtime housekeeper Valentina (Kimberley Guerrero, Winona from "Seinfeld") helps when she can, but the ranch itself, including some chickens and an arthritic 25-year-old horse, Mr. T, aren't much better off than Cal's comatose dad. Cal is shocked when he sees that his estranged sister Erin (Ms. Richardson) has returned in order to say goodbye to their dad.
The film is at its best as Cal and Erin (I'm sure it's a coincidence that the EAST OF EDEN siblings were named Cal and Aron) strain to avoid the discussion of what caused the split. It takes a while for us to get the details, but the scene is devastating for both characters, and the actors pull it off beautifully. A single night, seven years ago, blew up a family and led to broken trust and pent-up anger and animosity in Erin, and near debilitating guilt and sadness in Cal. Doing the right thing plays a recurring role here in regards to Erin's high school article, Cal's decision on Mr. T, and their dad's job and actions.
Family relationships can be tainted and forever altered by a traumatic event, and rebuilding that trust requires raw pain and emotion ... and even then, there are no guarantees. Additional supporting work is provided by Eugene Brave Rock and Asivak Koostachin, each of whom bring a touch of humor to their character ("sentimental horsey girl") - or perhaps it just seems that way due to the intensity of Erin and Cal. There is a terrific scene where Cal and Erin 'negotiate' her spontaneous purchase of a pickup and trailer, and the meaning is hard to miss as Erin educates Cal on Dante's circles of Hell in "Inferno". Kudos to rising stars Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague for capturing a strained sibling dynamic and showing how trauma can have varying effects. Thanks also to cinematographer Giles Nuttgen (HELL OR HIGH WATER) for the sprawling Montana landscape and mountain vistas. This is a "western" only in the sense that it takes place out west and in near isolation, with most folks only speaking when necessary. It is a kind of showdown between brother and sister, but the weapons are words and memories, not pistols.
Calming and well intended.
tipseek6 June 2022
Emotionally powerful, if a bit overlong.
benjaminskylerhill30 May 2022
If you can look past the glacial pacing and really see what's being presented on the screen, Montana Story is a thoroughly rewarding film.
The family drama is delivered in such a restrained, satisfying way. Exposition and backstory is gradually hinted at until these fully realised characters finally reach their traumatic breaking point and the emotional payoff finally comes spilling out.
The achievement of acting in this film cannot be overstated. Haley Lu Richardson, especially, delivers her lines with such tact and in a way that makes her character a living, breathing person.
Some very intriguing themes are explored through parallel presentation that provoke thought as to what gives a life inherent meaning or value. I'll be thinking about it for a while.
All this praise being said, the pacing really is an issue. Many, many scenes could have been trimmed down or presented a bit differently to give the film a sense of progression that is rarely present. I'd say about 20 minutes could have been cut and all that would have been lost are some repetitive vistas and redundant mundane actions.
Still, when this film is at its high points, it REALLY shines, and I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy a slow-burn western.
The family drama is delivered in such a restrained, satisfying way. Exposition and backstory is gradually hinted at until these fully realised characters finally reach their traumatic breaking point and the emotional payoff finally comes spilling out.
The achievement of acting in this film cannot be overstated. Haley Lu Richardson, especially, delivers her lines with such tact and in a way that makes her character a living, breathing person.
Some very intriguing themes are explored through parallel presentation that provoke thought as to what gives a life inherent meaning or value. I'll be thinking about it for a while.
All this praise being said, the pacing really is an issue. Many, many scenes could have been trimmed down or presented a bit differently to give the film a sense of progression that is rarely present. I'd say about 20 minutes could have been cut and all that would have been lost are some repetitive vistas and redundant mundane actions.
Still, when this film is at its high points, it REALLY shines, and I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy a slow-burn western.
Solid Story With Missteps
bill-williams-923-7826886 June 2022
Great premise and wonderfully shot. The acting, however, I found stilted and wooden. I fully expected to ugly-cry throughout this story but I was unable to connect with the primary characters.
The supporting cast was strong and, again, the cinematography was fantastic. The script could have done with far less exposition and the primary backstory would have been better delivered through a series of flashbacks.
In other words, please don't tell me what happened unless the way you are going to tell me is better than the way you could show me. In this case Owen Teague's delivery fell quite flat.
Beautiful shots of big sky country and Asivak Koostachin was absolutely stellar.
The supporting cast was strong and, again, the cinematography was fantastic. The script could have done with far less exposition and the primary backstory would have been better delivered through a series of flashbacks.
In other words, please don't tell me what happened unless the way you are going to tell me is better than the way you could show me. In this case Owen Teague's delivery fell quite flat.
Beautiful shots of big sky country and Asivak Koostachin was absolutely stellar.
Wonderful little American drama that is a rarer breed in theaters
Quinoa198431 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The first criticism, or just observstion, I could see leveled at Montana Story is that it's too slowly paced or that the directors (who made the sleeper The Deep End 20 years back, among a few other things) keep the characters holding back from saying what we expect them to maybe say - or hope they won't say - to rach other. But it may be simply that (most) American audiences don't always flow with dramas that have the confidence to take the time to lay out who everyone is, that there's sorrow and more with a little scratch off the card, and then when the time is right for the people, this brother and sister specifically played by Owen Teague and Hailey Lu Richardson, to lay out what's been eating them away for so long. And of course when dealing with bottled up guilt and pain and suffering, that can be a lot to handle.
The backdrop of mountain-y, sometimes barren and vast landscapes may also play into people thinking that it's a little too, let's atop using slow and just say "deliberately paced," but that's not even the case I think either. This isnt Bela Tarr we're dealing with, so maybe that will turn off those few who think this isnt Slow enough. This feels paced just so for this kind of particular drama, which doesn't come with any particular gimmick nor any operatic grandeur; maybe it lacks some sense of humor, on the other hand it could be hard to see where it would fit given the dynamics between brother, sister, the immigrant nurse and a couple of other supporting characters. It is familiar and not something especially new, there have been and I'm sure there will be again dramas about family coming together against their better judgment to a crisis point that unearths the skeletons.
Execution really is all and this is executed with care and attention to character motivations and depth. There are definitely types here and there, mostly that A. C. is the kindly Nairobi-African immigrant nurse who is caring for this dying husk of a human being and while it could've been more clichéd it is still there enough that it is a type. Luckily he's there just enough that the focus is more on Teague and Richardson. There's something else that I can't call exactly a complaint but it is something to observe which is at least for him the brother character gets a full monologue to explain the Incident that drove the family apart (not that from the sound of it it was the only time the dad was abusive, but the harshest time it seems), and I almost wanted to find the script online to save the monologue to give for future actors I know who would kill to use it in an acting class or audition.
So, that may sound again like a put down, as if the filmmakers make how they tall too obvious. It is very much a BIG dramatic monologue, given by a son to another character over a dad in a coma. But it actually is very affecting and several scenes once it gets into the final act pay off what's been building and boiling over between these two. At first, I thought Richardson was giving the stronger performance of the two, more for what she often isnt saying than is, but Teague as Cal surprised me in a performance that gets better and more pained as it goes on, though it never becomes so affected. These are two real people and the actors fill these roles totally believably.
In short, it's the kind of natural, melancholic but thoughtful piece of dramatic fiction filmmaking I'm a little surprised to see in a multiplex right next to Maverick booming occasionally against the walls. It's not great, but it's very good at being what it is.
The backdrop of mountain-y, sometimes barren and vast landscapes may also play into people thinking that it's a little too, let's atop using slow and just say "deliberately paced," but that's not even the case I think either. This isnt Bela Tarr we're dealing with, so maybe that will turn off those few who think this isnt Slow enough. This feels paced just so for this kind of particular drama, which doesn't come with any particular gimmick nor any operatic grandeur; maybe it lacks some sense of humor, on the other hand it could be hard to see where it would fit given the dynamics between brother, sister, the immigrant nurse and a couple of other supporting characters. It is familiar and not something especially new, there have been and I'm sure there will be again dramas about family coming together against their better judgment to a crisis point that unearths the skeletons.
Execution really is all and this is executed with care and attention to character motivations and depth. There are definitely types here and there, mostly that A. C. is the kindly Nairobi-African immigrant nurse who is caring for this dying husk of a human being and while it could've been more clichéd it is still there enough that it is a type. Luckily he's there just enough that the focus is more on Teague and Richardson. There's something else that I can't call exactly a complaint but it is something to observe which is at least for him the brother character gets a full monologue to explain the Incident that drove the family apart (not that from the sound of it it was the only time the dad was abusive, but the harshest time it seems), and I almost wanted to find the script online to save the monologue to give for future actors I know who would kill to use it in an acting class or audition.
So, that may sound again like a put down, as if the filmmakers make how they tall too obvious. It is very much a BIG dramatic monologue, given by a son to another character over a dad in a coma. But it actually is very affecting and several scenes once it gets into the final act pay off what's been building and boiling over between these two. At first, I thought Richardson was giving the stronger performance of the two, more for what she often isnt saying than is, but Teague as Cal surprised me in a performance that gets better and more pained as it goes on, though it never becomes so affected. These are two real people and the actors fill these roles totally believably.
In short, it's the kind of natural, melancholic but thoughtful piece of dramatic fiction filmmaking I'm a little surprised to see in a multiplex right next to Maverick booming occasionally against the walls. It's not great, but it's very good at being what it is.
Weird inaccuracies are distracting
katesomes-4424321 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I wish they had been more realistic in regards to ranch life. I found it distracting.
The horse has arthritis and they have a "sprawling" ranch. But not only is he always in his stall even in his stall he's tied up. Why?
Seems like if nothing else you'd turn him out on pasture to keep him moving (joints) as well as not having to clean stalls and feed/water him all the time when you have to take care of dying person and selling the ranch.
Same with the chicken butchering. How many chickens does it take to play a dead chicken? Why does the chicken's feathering change from barred to different color barred to solid brown. Super weird.
The horse has arthritis and they have a "sprawling" ranch. But not only is he always in his stall even in his stall he's tied up. Why?
Seems like if nothing else you'd turn him out on pasture to keep him moving (joints) as well as not having to clean stalls and feed/water him all the time when you have to take care of dying person and selling the ranch.
Same with the chicken butchering. How many chickens does it take to play a dead chicken? Why does the chicken's feathering change from barred to different color barred to solid brown. Super weird.
Great acting and story-telling
MikeyB179331 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This an authentic performance by all - especially the son and daughter of their dying comatose father. We feel the tensions between the two siblings at the very onset of the film. The issues underlying their relationship are revealed to us slowly and in layers. We feel them probing each other.
Many films like this would be tempted to go over the top with some cathartic explosion. What we do get is a very nuanced performance, with an ending that is at least somewhat of a conciliation between them. All the characters come off as real and not caricatures. Its' masterful story-telling with a Montana backdrop.
Many films like this would be tempted to go over the top with some cathartic explosion. What we do get is a very nuanced performance, with an ending that is at least somewhat of a conciliation between them. All the characters come off as real and not caricatures. Its' masterful story-telling with a Montana backdrop.
Emotional Roller Coaster
stevendbeard31 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I saw Montana Story, starring Haley Lu Richardson-Split, The Bronze; Owen Teague-The Stand_tv, the new It movies_2017 & 2019 and Gilbert Owuor-Goliath_tv, The Young and the Restless_tv.
This is a story about a brother and sister-in their 20's-that come home to see their father after he has suffered a stroke and is on life support. Owen and Haley are the brother & sister that left their Montana home about 7 years earlier under bad terms with the father-he was abusive to both of them but more so to Haley. Gilbert is the hospice nurse taking care of the father on the farm that is deep in debt. Lots of mixed feelings between just about everybody, except for poor old Gilbert, who is caught in the middle. Haley is mad at her father for what he did to her and at Owen, for what he didn't do-mainly, stopping the abuse. Owen is mad at his father and also at himself-because he didn't do something to stop his father from hurting Haley. And, with their father dying, they both are bouncing back and forth between being angry and glad. It's just an emotional roller coaster.
It's rated R for language and has a running time of 1 hour & 54 minutes.
It's not one that I would buy on DVD or even rent. If you are interested in seeing it, I would wait until it comes to tv.
This is a story about a brother and sister-in their 20's-that come home to see their father after he has suffered a stroke and is on life support. Owen and Haley are the brother & sister that left their Montana home about 7 years earlier under bad terms with the father-he was abusive to both of them but more so to Haley. Gilbert is the hospice nurse taking care of the father on the farm that is deep in debt. Lots of mixed feelings between just about everybody, except for poor old Gilbert, who is caught in the middle. Haley is mad at her father for what he did to her and at Owen, for what he didn't do-mainly, stopping the abuse. Owen is mad at his father and also at himself-because he didn't do something to stop his father from hurting Haley. And, with their father dying, they both are bouncing back and forth between being angry and glad. It's just an emotional roller coaster.
It's rated R for language and has a running time of 1 hour & 54 minutes.
It's not one that I would buy on DVD or even rent. If you are interested in seeing it, I would wait until it comes to tv.
Well told story about a real family with real problems
coled-6571630 May 2022
If you are looking for a summer blockbuster this is not the movie for you (but you should know this from the tiniest bit of research). If you are looking for an incredibly well acted, incredibly well written, and incredibly well filmed in amazing locations movie that deals with real life this is the movie for you. Every actor and actress is superb. The writing is real and simultaneously sympathetic to characters at many different phases and positions in life. The cinematography is beautiful and appropriate for the themes of the show. It could be called depressing, but I would call it humanist and ultimately uplifting. A fanatic might argue with some of the implied past of the father and how it is presented, but as the movie takes time to point out this isn't really his story. Certainly not a story of any political decisions he made - that is window dressing for an amazingly well told about real families with real issues and how they deal with them.
Painfully boring.
courtjes29 May 2022
A few panoramic shots of Montana, nice background score kept this from a one star.
Nothing personal with actors, its the writers who make this the Boring Movie of the Year.
At least there was only awkward homage to the tobacco companies. Every movie has to showcase cigarettes but this one was really out of place. Not like Spielberg/Hanks shameless promotion of smoking.
Predictable too, every step of the way.
Nothing personal with actors, its the writers who make this the Boring Movie of the Year.
At least there was only awkward homage to the tobacco companies. Every movie has to showcase cigarettes but this one was really out of place. Not like Spielberg/Hanks shameless promotion of smoking.
Predictable too, every step of the way.
Montana Story" operates best as a ticking time bomb juxtaposed tonally from Kevin Morby's plaintive melodic score
moviesfilmsreviewsinc12 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Cal (Owen Teague) arrives on a large Montana spread, his long face and hesitant gait foretelling what his father's large wooden, picturesque home holds. When he enters, an overbearing beeping sound arises, and a kind-spoken Kenyan nurse named Ace (Gilbert Owuor) greets him. Cal's father had a stroke. He's now lying in the living room in a permanent coma attached to life support. The ranch isn't in much better shape: A lapsed mortgage, no cattle, a 25-year-old stallion on its last legs, and a few chickens account for what remains. Cal tries to shoulder the burden alone until his estranged sister Erin (a profound Haley Lu Richardson) makes an unannounced appearance. The pair haven't spoken for seven years. Back then, Erin outed their father in the school paper as a lawyer covering up a toxic mess at a local mine. Their father attacked her, beating her nearly to death, only for a 15-year-old Cal to stand frozen, watching. Now she lives in upstate New York and Cal lives in Cheyenne. But their shared regret stands only inches apart. Beyond their abusive father, the siblings share another foible: Their horse Mr. T, the black stallion with arthritis. Cal wants to put him down rather than keeping him locked away and paying for the feed. Erin would rather take the horse with her back to upstate New York. The equine's situation, needless to say, is a reversal of their father's. It's a metaphor operating with a heavy hand."Montana Story" operates best as a ticking time bomb juxtaposed tonally from Kevin Morby's plaintive melodic score. The siblings often veer close to laying out their true grievances, and the closer they arrive, the sharper the jagged, rugged landscape becomes, and the colder the skin-smearing wind sounds. Their ping-pong game of nasty words - at one point Erin alludes to Cal belonging in the lowest circle of Dante's Hell, where the betrayers of special relationships reside - comes to a head during a bitter lightning storm that causes a power outage in the home. Richardson's spontaneous overflow of emotions is a gut punch, while Teague's slow emotional build to fall in a landfill of grief is acutely measured. Hits theaters on May 20, 2022.
Movie about a ranch that knows nothing about ranching
morrisonsarah21 November 2022
I really tried with this one, but the story is so boring immediately. I had a very hard time paying attention, the actors are not captivating, although both talented.
It felt like something interesting was trying to unravel but the build up is so slow and uninteresting.
Why do people insist on making movies about topics they do not research? You don't tie a horse in a stall. Also 25 is not that old for a horse. I'm being pedantic but it's enough for some of us to not want to believe the story when such little effort is made to evaluate or research the subplot of the movie. Ranching isn't just a thing that happens. Who is feeding the cows?
It felt like something interesting was trying to unravel but the build up is so slow and uninteresting.
Why do people insist on making movies about topics they do not research? You don't tie a horse in a stall. Also 25 is not that old for a horse. I'm being pedantic but it's enough for some of us to not want to believe the story when such little effort is made to evaluate or research the subplot of the movie. Ranching isn't just a thing that happens. Who is feeding the cows?
beautiful scenery, beautiful movie
bikerhiker928 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I wont give a review since youve read the others, but i will say i love these types of movies where ordinary people are just trying to live their lives whatever circumstances confront them. I dont find them boring at all since i love realistic movies and hardly ever waste my time or money for what makes money at the box office. This is a movie that stayed with me for days after and ive watched it more than once. Ive even bought the dvd. It really moved me and made me hope the brother and sister will become family again and renew their love for each other since they are all they have left. I know its only a movie but still thats how it affected me.
Beautiful and intriguing, but...
csman0020 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The first 3/4 were beautiful and enchanting. The rest of it was glorified patricide. Yes, we finally got rid of the old man, let's run free with the horses. What the father did was wrong no question, the fact that this movie thinks it's ok to suffocate him in a weak state is despicable. It's wrong legally - an extra-judicial killing, murder that NO plausible formal cover was even provided, while Ace answered all the questions honestly - and, of course, this murder is wrong morally. I lived in Montana and most people I've met were very pro-family and would not get on board with this "Montana Story". I would give 9/10 for cinematography, but the obscene twisted "moral" of cowardly murdering your incapacitated father in this movie is too much, no.
Montana Love Story
juliaeckelkamp15 May 2022
Between its sweeping wide shots of the landscape and its intimate look into family relationships riddled with trauma, "Montana Story" is a force to be reckoned with. A love story to Montana, a love story to family and all its complications - do yourself a favor and check it out!
A well intentioned but forgettable indie drama
eddie_baggins25 July 2023
The last time we saw directing duo Scott McGehee and David Siegel work together on a feature film, the result was the powerful undervalued masterpiece from 2012 What Maisie Knew, instantly marking the co-directors down as talents to keep a very close eye on.
Taking almost a decade to return to the big screen, McGehee and Siegel return to the dramatic feature landscape with the picturesque and character driven family drama Montana Story, a slow moving affair that at times seems likely to reach some strong narrative threads but unfortunately ends up being a merely adequate independent drama that is unable to stand out from the crowd despite two committed lead turns and a stunning location for its story to unfold around.
A familiar feeling affair centred around Owen Teague's Cal and Haley Lu Richardson's Erin, siblings who share the same traumatic childhood due to the hands of their ailing father who has suffered a debilitating stroke and lays awaiting his imminent demise in their old farmhouse that holds many painful memories but also glimmers of hope for the two young souls to move on from the past and finally start focusing on their own futures.
Impressive in the likes of To Leslie and TV series Bloodline, Teague is ably supported by Richardson who is proving herself to be a likely future star on the back of efforts like this and her turn in hit HBO dramedy The White Lotus season 2 and the two up and coming Hollywood actors can't be faulted throughout Story's runtime but sadly McGehee and Siegel aren't able to tap into the same dramatic strengths they managed to mine in What Maisie Knew as Story lacks a true emotional connection or interest that would've made it a special small-scale outing.
As it stands, Story is a well-meaning and nicely put together tale but it fails to inspire much in the way of emotion or reason to care beyond a minor way making the venture a curious return from McGehee and Siegel who after their previous effort was released seemed destined to become some of the most important co-directing voices in the independent scene but now have their work cut off for them to remind us all of their talents that are no doubt there to showcase.
Final Say -
There's nothing particularly bad about Montana Story but there's also nothing particularly good. A quiet and character driven drama, this pretty too look at feature is sadly stuck in the middle ground.
2 1/2 horse floats out of 5.
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Taking almost a decade to return to the big screen, McGehee and Siegel return to the dramatic feature landscape with the picturesque and character driven family drama Montana Story, a slow moving affair that at times seems likely to reach some strong narrative threads but unfortunately ends up being a merely adequate independent drama that is unable to stand out from the crowd despite two committed lead turns and a stunning location for its story to unfold around.
A familiar feeling affair centred around Owen Teague's Cal and Haley Lu Richardson's Erin, siblings who share the same traumatic childhood due to the hands of their ailing father who has suffered a debilitating stroke and lays awaiting his imminent demise in their old farmhouse that holds many painful memories but also glimmers of hope for the two young souls to move on from the past and finally start focusing on their own futures.
Impressive in the likes of To Leslie and TV series Bloodline, Teague is ably supported by Richardson who is proving herself to be a likely future star on the back of efforts like this and her turn in hit HBO dramedy The White Lotus season 2 and the two up and coming Hollywood actors can't be faulted throughout Story's runtime but sadly McGehee and Siegel aren't able to tap into the same dramatic strengths they managed to mine in What Maisie Knew as Story lacks a true emotional connection or interest that would've made it a special small-scale outing.
As it stands, Story is a well-meaning and nicely put together tale but it fails to inspire much in the way of emotion or reason to care beyond a minor way making the venture a curious return from McGehee and Siegel who after their previous effort was released seemed destined to become some of the most important co-directing voices in the independent scene but now have their work cut off for them to remind us all of their talents that are no doubt there to showcase.
Final Say -
There's nothing particularly bad about Montana Story but there's also nothing particularly good. A quiet and character driven drama, this pretty too look at feature is sadly stuck in the middle ground.
2 1/2 horse floats out of 5.
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Great Old School Movie
javierbaron20088 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I have enjoyed this film very much. The kind of story that was shown in abundance in movie theaters in the 1990s and early 2000s. When there was still room for medium-budget films that supported their narrative on the quality of the script, the performances of the actors and the cinematography of beautiful landscapes that accompanied the plot.
Very far from the visual paraphernalia that seems to be a requirement to have projection in theaters today.
Montana Story, is an intimate family drama that takes place on a ranch in the middle of the wonderful and cold landscapes of Montana. One of the coldest states in the US.
The cold environment contrasts with the narrative in which, at times, passions boil.
We all have moments in our past that in retrospect, we have discovered that we could have acted better, with more determination.
That happens to Cal. Seven years ago he watched his father beat up his sister, Erin (Haley Lu Richardson). Even though inside he wanted to step in and stop the beating, he just freezes up and does nothing.
The ghost of his cowardice and indecision has haunted him all these years.
Erin, has disappeared since that day without a trace.
It is until her father suffers a stroke and is left in a coma with no chance of waking up, that Lu returns to the ranch.
The psychological construction of both characters is what makes it a great movie.
From here on we see slowly and intelligently how the brothers seek to heal the wounds left by that event in the past.
How do you forgive and tell your truths to someone who can't hear you anymore and won't wake up?
The wonderful script is giving the answers of how the two characters are finding the exits of their respective labyrinths in a realistic and satisfactory way with an old horse involved that symbolically represents the past and the future.
Very far from the visual paraphernalia that seems to be a requirement to have projection in theaters today.
Montana Story, is an intimate family drama that takes place on a ranch in the middle of the wonderful and cold landscapes of Montana. One of the coldest states in the US.
The cold environment contrasts with the narrative in which, at times, passions boil.
We all have moments in our past that in retrospect, we have discovered that we could have acted better, with more determination.
That happens to Cal. Seven years ago he watched his father beat up his sister, Erin (Haley Lu Richardson). Even though inside he wanted to step in and stop the beating, he just freezes up and does nothing.
The ghost of his cowardice and indecision has haunted him all these years.
Erin, has disappeared since that day without a trace.
It is until her father suffers a stroke and is left in a coma with no chance of waking up, that Lu returns to the ranch.
The psychological construction of both characters is what makes it a great movie.
From here on we see slowly and intelligently how the brothers seek to heal the wounds left by that event in the past.
How do you forgive and tell your truths to someone who can't hear you anymore and won't wake up?
The wonderful script is giving the answers of how the two characters are finding the exits of their respective labyrinths in a realistic and satisfactory way with an old horse involved that symbolically represents the past and the future.
amazing
jennieeee18 April 2023
Montana Story is a beautiful and poignant movie that explores themes of family, love, and forgiveness. The film follows the story of estranged siblings, Wyatt and Lucy, who reunite for their father's funeral and must confront their complicated past and the secrets that tore their family apart.
The movie has a great cast, with Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague delivering powerful and nuanced performances as Lucy and Wyatt. The supporting cast is also excellent, with familiar faces like Kimberly Guerrero and John Ashton adding depth to the story.
One of the strengths of Montana Story is its ability to capture the natural beauty and ruggedness of Montana. The cinematography is breathtaking, with sweeping landscapes and stunning vistas that add to the emotional resonance of the movie.
The movie also features a great soundtrack, with original songs that reflect the themes and emotions of the story. The writing is excellent, with moments of humor and levity that balance out the serious and emotional moments.
Overall, Montana Story is a deeply affecting and beautifully crafted movie that explores the complexities of family relationships and the power of forgiveness. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotional movie that will stay with them long after the credits roll.
The movie has a great cast, with Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague delivering powerful and nuanced performances as Lucy and Wyatt. The supporting cast is also excellent, with familiar faces like Kimberly Guerrero and John Ashton adding depth to the story.
One of the strengths of Montana Story is its ability to capture the natural beauty and ruggedness of Montana. The cinematography is breathtaking, with sweeping landscapes and stunning vistas that add to the emotional resonance of the movie.
The movie also features a great soundtrack, with original songs that reflect the themes and emotions of the story. The writing is excellent, with moments of humor and levity that balance out the serious and emotional moments.
Overall, Montana Story is a deeply affecting and beautifully crafted movie that explores the complexities of family relationships and the power of forgiveness. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotional movie that will stay with them long after the credits roll.
Great movie
teletubiesdipsy23 April 2023
This is a minor-key modern Western whose melancholy probe into the bruising past gives way, in a quietly satisfying conclusion, to the hope of reconciliation, even healing.
McGehee and Siegel are at the top of their game, building to an emotional and memorable climax.
The achievement of acting in this film cannot be overstated. Haley Lu Richardson, especially, delivers her lines with such tact and in a way that makes her character a living, breathing person.
Some very intriguing themes are explored through parallel presentation that provoke thought as to what gives a life inherent meaning or value. I'll be thinking about it for a while.
McGehee and Siegel are at the top of their game, building to an emotional and memorable climax.
The achievement of acting in this film cannot be overstated. Haley Lu Richardson, especially, delivers her lines with such tact and in a way that makes her character a living, breathing person.
Some very intriguing themes are explored through parallel presentation that provoke thought as to what gives a life inherent meaning or value. I'll be thinking about it for a while.
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