Strange Way of Life

Strange Way of Life brings sensitivity to the western with a melodramatic story that pitches family against love. It's really good but it's hard to shake the feeling that it feels rushed in short film form. Impressively covering a lot of ground in a very short amount of time even if it's at the cost of these moments having the lasting impact they could with more time. Even in such a brief run time, Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke are able to build a palpable chemistry and a real storied past. So many scenes have them just looking at each other or reminiscing about the past resulting in a sense of longing and happiness. Most of the other performances feel off so they really do carry this. Pedro Almodóvar's direction helps the barren landscapes achieve a level of saturated beauty rarely seen within the genre. The film's at its strongest once it's powered through the action and just sits with the main duo for as long as it can. Alberto Iglesias' beautiful score really enhances it by embracing the telenovela nature.