Slow West

Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival January 24,2015

Blaine: "Slow West" is another one of the movies that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2015 that had my full interest. The number one reason I was interested in this movie, is because of Michael Fassbender. It's another western with a shoot out, a journey and also a love story.

Staring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelson, Caren Pistorius and "Game of Thrones” star, Rory McCann.

Plot (Spoiler Alert)

     A young Scottish man named Jay Cavendish is traveling across America to reunite with Rose, the love of his life. On the way he meets a man named Silas Selleck, who saves him from imposters dressed as Blue coats. Silas is willing to serve as a guide for Jay. What Jay doesn’t know is there is a bounty on Rose and her father, John Ross and that they are leading bounty hunters to them. Back in Scotland, John accidentally killed Jay’s uncle in an argument and John and Rose fled the country after a bounty was put on their heads and they moved to Colorado. Silas and Jay stop at a trading post, where Silas notices a wanted dead or alive poster with Rose and John on it. Silas then uses Jay to get the bounty. A Swedish couple enters the trading post with guns planning to rob the place. The owner kills the man, the wife kills the owner and Jay kills the wife before she has a chance to kill Silas. As Jay and Silas leave, they discover the Swedish couple had two children who have now become orphans. Jay leaves them a blanket and a few other items and then he and Silas continue on.

     As they get close to Rose and John, Jay notices the bounty hunters and Silas comes clean with him about the bounty. Rose and John live in small house on the nearby prairie with the protection of a Native American. When they arrive at the house, Silas ties Jay to a tree so that he doesn’t get killed, while Silas warns Rose and her father. John Ross is already dead when Silas arrives, for he was shot by a bounty hunter disguised as a priest. The bounty hunter then shoots at Silas. Silas is injured and goes on the side of the house for protection. The other bounty hunters show up and shoot at the house while Rose and the Indian defend themselves. A shoot out goes on and it worries Jay. He unties himself and runs straight for the house. As he enters the house, Rose shoots at him thinking he’s one of the bounty hunters. Jay is dying and then the Indian enters the room telling Rose to stay strong.

     The Indian sets the wheat crop, where the bounty hunters are hiding, on fire. The bounty hunters are dead, except for the leader, Payne. The Indian is dead as well. Rose feels she is alone now. Then she notices that the man she shot on the other side of the room looks familiar. She goes over to him and discovers it is Jay. Before he passes away, Jay holds Rose’s hand and smiles at her. Payne enters the room saying it’s over. Rose gives Jay the gun armed and ready. Payne is about to open fire on her, but Jay kills him. Jay is now gone. Silas gets up and limps into the house to see that Jay is dead. He takes his hat off in respect and lets Rose know Jay loved her with all his heart. After that, Silas moves in with Rose and they both look after the two Swedish kids.

     Blaine: I almost thought I was going to hate the ending because after Rose shot Jay, this Indian guy who has been living with Rose and John for who knows how long came in and they looked like they were close and he kissed her on the cheek and I'm saying out loud "Don't tell me she's with someone else now!" I mean Jay came a long way for her and to see the woman he loves with another man would be very, very upsetting. I was feeling a little bit sick to my stomach and I was hoping I didn't regret buying this movie.

     But then the Indian guy died and Rose got a better look at the guy she shot who was on the other side of the room and realized it was Jay. And she went over to him and I was feeling relieved and calming down. Jay died, but I would say he died happy. Before he passed on, he got to spend the last few minutes with Rose and he shot and killed Payne before he had a chance to do that to Rose. Another thing I was happy about is that Silas stayed alive because at least one of those two stayed alive and the last thing I would want to see is the both of them dead. I was scared for Silas after he got shot and after that I thought he’d be the one to die and give his life so that Jay can live his life with Rose, but turns out it was the other way around. I was happy it had an ending I could accept. Some say the most important thing to a story is the ending and if “Slow West” ended the way I was afraid it was going to be, then I would think the whole movie would have been a disaster. I mean the first hour and twelve minutes is fun to watch, but the last twelve would show “Slow West” is about a guy coming a long way for nothing. Not to mention he’s dying.

     Silas said at the end “There’s more to life than survival. Jay Cavendish taught me that. I owe him my life. He for the West.” It took me a while to understand what he meant by that. Jay loved Rose with all his heart and wouldn’t let anything get in his way including death and I think Silas has never realized that before and he also realizes life’s worth living as long as you have someone. My rating on "Slow West" is five out of five stars.

Awards

"Slow West" won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.