Kansas natives Lee and Muriel leave their family’s longtime family homestead upon his return from the Korean War, to begin a new life in San Diego. Back then, land and homes were cheap in California, and the protagonists of Daniel Minahan’s “On Swift Horses” want to be part of the great post-war migration to the Golden State. But part of their plan is to also bring Lee’s wayward brother Julius with them. And that proves more difficult than meets the eye.
We’re not sure exactly why Julius might require additional attention; outwardly, there doesn’t appear to be anything “wrong” with him. Sure, he’s a little unfocused, but he’s certainly a charmer, and boy, is he good looking. So good looking in fact, that we’re led to believe Muriel might have a romantic connection with him when they first meet back in Kansas.
Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Where the Crawdads Sing”) and Will Poulter (“The Revenant,” “Detroit”) play the seemingly happy newlyweds, but Jacob Elordi practically steals each of his scenes as the hot, sweaty, sexy Julius. Elordi exuded sexuality as Elvis Presley in the 2023 biopic “Priscilla.” Here, he turns it up yet another notch as the exhilarating yet unfocused Julius.
Just how unfocused is Julius? Enough that, en route to California, he makes a stop in Las Vegas to win a few bucks, ends up taking a job as a security worker in a casino, and having a romantic relationship with a fellow co-worker. And when I say “fellow,” I mean a fellow. Diego Calva (“Babylon”) plays Henry, a Mexican American drifter who quickly takes a mutual liking to the striking Julius. We get the idea this gay relationship is not Julius’ first. And perhaps that’s why Lee feels so strongly that Julius join the newlyweds in California. After all, this is the 1950s, when homosexual relationships were socially taboo.
Alas, Julius eventually lands on the west coast, but not before Muriel takes a romantic relationship with a neighbor lady, played by relative newcomer Sasha Calle. Furthermore, Muriel’s waitressing job allows her to overhear bettors’ advice for upcoming races. Spending her off hours at the local track, Muriel quickly amasses a huge nest egg of her own, which she hides from Lee.
So, Julius and Muriel – who spend most of their time in “On Swift Horses” away from one another – each engage in various forms of wagering, and in same-sex relationships. Why? Well, there’s the big question: What exactly is the connection between Muriel and Julius? Even in the throws of homosexual affairs, they still maintain an unspoken desire for one another. Unfortunately, Bryce Kass’ screenplay, adapted from Shannon Pufahl’s “On Swift Horses,” never makes this connection for us.
Now, I frequently commend writers and directors for not connecting the proverbial dots for us; I like a movie that trusts me enough to draw my own conclusions. To wit, some of the best films of all time are those which inspire countless hours of discussion regarding their meanings. I was first drawn to film as an art form through these invigorating post-viewing exchanges with others. What did we just see? What did this plot development mean? There’s a certain energizing thrill that comes from the dissection of art – be it music, visual art, the written word, a live performance, or that of film.
However, certain films can be cut up and taken apart ad infinitum, and they still come up meaningless. I’m afraid “On Swift Horses” falls into this category. When the closing credits roll, we must ponder what we’ve just witnessed. And all our questions regarding the various characters remain. What is this all about?
And the darn shame of it all is that performances – particularly those of Edgar-Jones and Elordi – are very, very good. I’ve already addressed Elordi’s magnetism, but Edgar-Jones low-profile Muriel is the key performance here. She says more with her eyes than she does when she’s speaking. We don’t need her to verbalize those for whom she longs; she indicates her desires with her face. What we do need is for her (or any of the characters, for that matter) to simply tell us what any of this means. What’s the big picture here? Why should we care. “On Swift Horses” establishes some alluring characters; it just doesn’t know what to do with them.
