On Swift Horses
Director Daniel Minahan’s evocative period love story is a meditation on the quiet revolution of being true to oneself.
On mature reflection: Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jacob Elordi.
Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
In an era where the American West has largely been mythologised through the lens of straight, cis white males, On Swift Horses offers a refreshing, poignant departure. The familiar rhythms of the Western, noir and melodrama are disrupted in the narrative based on Shannon Pufahl's 2019 novel. Director Daniel Minahan, whose previous work includes HBO series such as Six Feet Under, Deadwood, True Blood and Game of Thrones, brings a personal, empathetic lens to the kind of sweeping experience that feels rare in today’s tentpole-driven environment. On Swift Horses sets out to show another aspect of the American Dream and the challenge of living authentically in a time when some forms of love were criminalised.
After returning from the Korean War, Lee (Will Poulter) plans to build a stable postwar life with his sweetheart Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones). But their fresh start is thrown off course by the arrival of Lee’s charismatic stud brother, Julius (Jacob Elordi) — a wayward rebel with a past and a future he’s betting big on. Muriel and Julius meet in a moment stripped bare emotionally and physically, emphasising their status as mirror images of one another. This early visual and emotional groundwork sets the stage for the rest of their journey, and their bond sets the tone for a slow-burning story of longing, self-discovery and eventual combustion. From the dusty quiet of Kansas to San Diego and the bright blur of Las Vegas and Tijuana, On Swift Horses charts love shaped by the hunger to live truthfully in a world that punishes difference. Each character, in their own way, is gambling on the possibility of love, even when the odds are stacked heavily against them.
With a compassionate hand, Minahan crafts a story that resonates deeply with anyone who has ever had to live on the margins. Challenging the cultural tropes of the American Dream, the story unveils an aching portrait of queer love before it had the language (or freedom) to be understood. What makes On Swift Horses so compelling is its emotional landscape, which never feels forced into easy categories. There is no real antagonist, only people placing all of their chips on the table for a better, more authentic future. Minahan finds a kind of beauty in that uncertain space between dreams and reality. A terrific, next-generation cast — led by the nuanced Daisy Edgar-Jones — gives the occasionally meandering material a necessary lift.
The 1950s aesthetic, steeped in period-accurate production design, avoids the trap of generic nostalgia. Rather than building on Hollywood’s idea of mid-century America, the production team focused on documentarians and photographers who captured life as it was then. The cinematography, helmed by Luc Montpellier, embraces both the formal framing of 1950s cinema and a more liberated, handheld style during the more intimate moments. Borrowing from the visual language of the Western, horses serve as a metaphor for characters' desire to break free from lives of constraint. While there could be more excitement in the race, hold your horses for a gratifying finish. The payoff is a sexy, reserved story about the risk and reward of betting on your own life.
CHAD KENNERK
Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, Diego Calva, Sasha Calle, Kat Cunning, Don Swayze.
Dir Daniel Minahan, Pro Mollye Asher, Michael D'Alto, Tim Headington, Daniel Minahan, Theresa Steele Page, Peter Spears, Screenplay Bryce Kass, Ph Luc Montpellier, Pro Des Erin Magill, Ed Robert Frazen, Joe Murphy, Kate Sanford, Music Mark Orton, Costumes Jeriana San Juan, Sound Sean O'Malley.
Ley Line Entertainment/FirstGen Content/Killer Films-Sony Pictures Classics
119 mins. USA. 2024. US Rel: 25 April 2025. Cert. R.
