Films are a time commitment. I mean think about it. After who the actors are and what is it about, often the most important piece of information for the average viewer is how long is this thing? *that's what she said* Is it worth my time? Will I love every minute? This may seem like an odd introduction for a film that's about 90 minutes, as short as they really come, but Ain't Them Bodies Saints is all about patience. Not that it's a slow or inactive film but it takes it's time to build a rich and exciting world, and once it's done, Ain't Them Bodies blows you away.
It's actually incredible how this relationship manages to so strongly grab your empathy considering that the two in the relationship so rarely share any screen time. As Bob fights his way back to Ruth, she hears the news of his movements and struggles to decide if the love she has for Bob is more important than her daughter. I can't speak too much on the events that surround this but there is a powerful moment when we hear through the form of a letter she has written to Bob why she has chosen to do what she does. It's powerful stuff like this that makes their relationship seem so important and devoid of thoughtless romanticism. Rooney Mara's performance is subtle and conveys a beautiful subtext with every movement. Casey Affleck is less immediately astounding be this may be due to a general lack on depth in his character that is intrinsically part of his character. making it as clever and considered as every single role in Ain't Them Bodies, each character adding more to the deceptively complex tapestry this film weaves. No actor steals screen time, each seems to be supportive of the other, like they are helping them through a bought of grief. Ben Foster who plays the policeman who was shot and later takes the case to track down Bob (incredibly not for revenge, another refreshing twist Ain't Them Bodies wields) is steady. For a while I was uncertain of him, feeling a heavy pang of jealousy on Bob's behalf. But then he changes gradually into someone you simply can't ignore.
Visually the film owes a ridiculous debt to the work of Terrence Malick. The film is in some ways a mash-up of Malick's Badlands and Days of Heaven. That could be seen a bad thing, lazy, but Ain't Them Bodies Saints isn't stealing for stealing's sake (that's even if you think it really is). It earns it for itself. This film starts by feeling unoriginal but after a short stay proves it's worth ten times over. It's about time more people started aping Malick's spectacular style anyway, I'm bored of all this Kubrick and Hitchcock copycatting. None of that means anything though when you hear Daniel Hart's score. This is stellar stuff. The kind of music that perfectly evokes everything the film is trying to convey. It compliments every scene perfectly, subtle, harrowing and remarkable all at once.
Perfection is ridiculous, you literally can't have it. You can feel it though. You can notice imperfections and let them be, or explain them away. The career of Kanye West ain't perfect but I can argue with you that it is for as long as you stay awake. As I said at the start, films are a time commitment. Some are 100% non-stop like, never boring, never amazing and others take their time, build up slowly but end in true love. Ain't Them Bodies Saints certainly takes its time and you might not be immediately engaged but I implore you to go seek it out. Sometimes it's better to take your time to achieve something all the more special and important.
I feel like I should feel bad that this will be the third 5/5 review, but why should I feel bad WHEN I'VE SEEN THREE FIVE OUT OF FIVE FILMS IN A ROW! Everything's coming up Joe.
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