East of Wall is a new film set to release in theaters August 15th that initially debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Written & directed by Kate Beecroft, the film stars Tabatha Zimiga, Porshia Zimiga, Scoot McNairy, and Jennifer Ehle. Set in the Badlands of South Dakota,  Tabatha, a young, rebellious rancher, who rescues and resells horses, must make hard decisions to deal with her fractured family, financial uncertainty of losing her ranch, and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge and the skills of the horse trade to a group of wayward neighborhood teens.

I want to say that I first heard about this during this year’s Sundance Film Festival lineup, but I honestly forgotten about it until recently. I was looking ahead at what was coming to theaters and this one came up. What really got my attention was seeing Scoot McNairy, one of my all-time favorite actors, was in the film. I still wasn’t too sure about it. Then, came all of the negative reactions after last week’s AMC mystery screening. I later got a digital screening request for the film, and I had to check it out. You know what? It was actually pretty good.

Based on the reception the film was getting out of the AMC mystery screening, I got the impression that it was going to be a slow burn, and it certainly is one. I honestly don’t think this is a film that will attract mass audiences. It’s definitely a required taste. It’s a character study from start to finish, but if you look even closer, you’ll come to realize how it’s a love letter its location and its people.

The film takes a hybrid docu-drama approach. I suppose I don’t know as much as I should, but I am eager to learn more. Tabatha Zimiga & Porshia Zimiga plays as themselves, which brings out some real & authentic performances. Then, comes Scoot McNairy, an established actor in Hollywood who truthfully deserves more praise. The film feels like writer & director Kate Beecroft chooses this approach in order for it to be more cinematic, and thus having more people watch it. It’s a smart strategy. It does bring me back to how others have called it boring. If you are looking to seek this out, I can see where others might feel that way, but there’s something quite meaningful with the film’s approach.

At 97 minutes, the film walks this fine line between being too short and feeling too long. The film certainly utilizes every moment, which can makes the film feel much longer than what it is. The film starts off on a great note. It’s exciting and interesting. As the film goes on, there are some melodramatic scenes that go on for too long. While I found the character’s stories interesting, I also would have liked to have seen more of the character’s relationships with the horses. Outside of the performances, that’s where the film shines.

The way the characters use the horses as a way to escape their reality reminds me why I love movies. It’s a great escape from the hard things going on in life. Thematically, the film has a lot to offer through this as it shows what life is like for this community. Whole the film ends on a satisfying note, it also does wrap up too nicely. As much as the pacing does make the film drag at times, the film could have also been longer to help explore the characters more and what the horses mean to them.

The film has a lot to offer from its technical standpoints. The cinematography is breathtaking. It’s easy to admire each landscape and how the camera tracks horses moving. The score also helps elevate the emotionality of what’s going on. Between these two aspects, the film has a lot of great things going for it.

When the film isn’t utilizing its amazing score, it tends to use modern day popular needle drops. The songs were definitely not my thing, and the film can use too much of it at times. While I think the music helps paint a picture of the location and the people, it can also feel isolating to viewers like myself who may not care for the music.

Overall, East of Wall is a surprise between the performances, direction, and technical aspects. I can understand where viewers may feel burnt out with the pacing, but there are much slower films out there. Nonetheless, I am glad this is a getting a theatrical release. It’s an entertaining indie that means well.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)