On Swift Horses Movie Review

“On Swift Horses” is slow to say the least. The writing is weak, but I can’t say enough about the cinematography. ​

It continually shows the darkness of the 1950s homosexual scene and what they had to endure. Specific color schemes were selected and used for the staging, which effectively set the tone. Costumes help sell the story, as well as the acting, which is very good overall. The era they’re living in, which was unaccepting of you if you were gay, is made quite evident by the fact that people had to have secret codes, passwords, and hold secret parties to be with one another. Certain clubs existed, but it was risky to hang out in the lest they be raided and you or someone you loved would be swallowed up in said raid. The film attempts to convey this, but its message is inconsistent, losing its point.

The story revolves around Lee (Will Poulter) and Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who is fascinated by his brother Julius (Jacob Elordi) and nearly everyone else she meets. Julius is getting back from the Navy and stays with his brother, not expecting he’d be engaged, especially to a woman he finds attractive as much as she seems to be attracted to him. Julius teaches Muriel some about poker and about betting on the horses; they all have a great time together, and then he moves on. He promises to meet them in California, a move they all want to make.  

Before meeting up with Lee and Muriel, he meets Henry (Diego Calva) at work in Vegas. Henry is on his mind all the time. The two couples are in the same relationship. There is one constantly lying to the other. Honesty is the last thing considered. The trailer makes you believe this is a story about Muriel and her little crush on Julius, but the fact that they even met seems implausible, to be honest. I saw it weeks ago, and I’m still trying to figure out the point. “I’m not like you,” Julius tells Lee. We get it, don’t play down to your audience. 

Anyway, you want to like Julius, who has quite a life for himself cheating at gambling and being paid to spot cheaters gambling at casinos, but he likes himself so much that you might not have a chance to. Muriel is selfish, as well. She listens to men at the lunch counter where she works and gets information on which horses to bet on at the track. She’s on a hot streak, stealing their advice. So, with all this winning, who’s losing? Lee. He’s hit from both sides; he just doesn’t see it coming. At some point, you have to wonder about his mental capacity.

With the script they have to work with, the cast is decent. The directing is fair, but the script is flat. Muriel is engaged, happily, it seems, then wants her soon-to-be brother-in-law. Then, all of a sudden, she’s closeted wanting the next two women she meets. The writing is just… lazy. It’s shot well, and the acting was good, but the story gives you no reason to watch, unless you’re streaming at home.