The Homesman

The Homesman,  starring Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank is a beautiful western  that centers on an unmarried woman (Swank) in the 1850's Nebraska territory who is tasked with transporting three mentally ill young women to the shelter of a church back east with the help of claim jumper (Jones) It's a straightforward story of simple life with the cinematic backdrop and vastness of the outdoors, that lend lots of contrast to the subtlety of the wonderful acting performances throughout the journey.  It's a large movie in the tradition of the old westerns, that focuses on how the ordinary deeds of others and the unforeseen events of life affect the very existence and character of people. The natural elements and passage of time, play to these points very well. Swank is so reminiscent of Katherine Hepburn and the obvious comparison to her in The African Queen, was not lost on me.