WILD HORSE NINE

Wild Horse Nine is Martin McDonagh at his best with a wickedly funny yet reflective screenplay exploring life, regret and friendship, that when brought to life by the sensational performances and pairing of John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, makes for one of the most poignant films of the entire year.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. In Bruges. The Banshees of Inisherin. The films of Martin McDonagh are not subtle when it comes to their comedic stylings which is abrasive and never subtle, often delivering off coloured jokes that never fail to deliver both shock and uncontrollable laughter, but they are also defined by the heart of the characters. The devastation of a fractured friendship in The Banshees of Inisherin, the exploration of pain, forgiveness and vengeance against the American small town mentality in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and the religious and philosophical questions posed by In Bruges, McDonagh’s films always have a more complex layer to them that allows them to be rewarding cinematic experiences in addition to the endless laughter they bring. His latest film, Wild Horse Nine, is no exception to this standard as he writes the story of two CIA spies as they travel to Easter Island for a vacation as friends, delivering brilliant comedic moments and a stirring thematic exploration through his main characters. With the marvelous performances of John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell in the main roles, who are both incredibly funny and deeply moving in their performances, an excellent supporting cast featuring Steve Buscemi and Parker Posey, and that signature razor sharp writing McDonagh always brings to his films, there is little left to say about Wild Horse Nine other than that it is yet another fantastic film from McDonagh.

McDonagh is known for his sharp screenplays that despite being dialogue heavy, never mince a single word to ensure that not only that every line of dialogue propels the story forward, but will leave the audience dying of laughter. His work on Wild Horse Nine is no exception to that standard with his razor sharp and outrageously funny comedic writing while playing with the geopolitical narrative threads at the centre of the story, that while it often relies on jokes that by today’s standards could be viewed as offensive and dated, are given such a punchy delivery by the cast that you can’t help but laugh at them. Beyond that, McDonagh’s writing is playing the long game with the gags, introducing recurring bits that seem like small offhanded comments but are actually laying the groundwork for a bigger joke later on in the film, which this intentionality in the writing only makes the comedic moments land harder as Chris and Lee’s trip on Easter Island progresses.

Though beneath the comedy, McDonagh is playing with some great thematic material that enriches the entirety of Wild Horse Nine and gives two meaningful character arcs to his lead characters: Chris and Lee. As Chris uses the tranquility and natural beauty of Easter Island as a moment to reflect on his career and life, McDonagh eloquently explores mortality, regret and loneliness with an aching honesty that gives an immense depth to Chris beyond the shock value of his outrageous one-liners. From Lee’s perspective, McDonagh explores the true meaning of friendship and the sacrifices these two men have made for their jobs as Lee navigates the conflict between his personal commitment to and friendship with Chris and the directives of the CIA, that gives Lee his own soul searching character arc but enhances the Chris’ journey of self-reflection over the course of the film. All set against the backdrop of their covert and dark pasts as CIA agents responsible for destabilizing governments and countries, that has caused Chris and Lee to live a life removed from their loved ones, only strengthens the bond between these characters and McDonagh’s thematic exploration. The end result is a screenplay that, if it does not have you laughing uncontrollably from start to finish, has you grappling with the emotional ideas at the heart of it thanks to its wonderfully written lead characters, delivering not only one of the best original screenplays of the year but a truly rewarding experience.

As strong and insightful as McDonagh’s writing is, the film would be nothing without the performances of Malkovich and Rockwell. Malkovich’s dry cynicism is pitch perfect for Chris as he delivers some of the film’s most outrageous comedic moments, never for a second wavering in his delivery of some truly preposterous one liners that only he can get away with. But underneath all of the comedy, Malkovich’s soulful turn as Chris is deeply vulnerable as he reflects on the actions of Chris’s past that sets the emotional stakes for the film. Quiet and pensive in these moments, bearing his character’s heart with his eyes and facial expressions, Malkovich has truly never been better and gives a formidable performance that is arguably the best performance of his entire career.

Rockwell balances the humorous situations by McDonagh’s writing as Lee deals with an unruly Chris, an aggravating boss and a wife who storms in like a hurricane with a tender compassion for what has brought him to Easter Island, his friendship with Chris and the personal stakes the decision he faces holds for him. Brilliant as ever with the comedic moments and finding an intuitive perspective that allows Lee to become the audience’s guide through the story, Rockwell is simply fantastic, but alongside Malkovich, the two of them elevate each other to give two of the best performances of the year. Their comedic timing is sure fire, with Malkovich’s cheekiness and wild comments rolling perfectly off Rockwell’s more straight performance as Lee, but the bond they create on screen is emotionally riveting and captures the essence of the characters McDonagh has written. Tugging on your heart strings as they navigate the complex situation that Chris and Lee find themselves in, nailing each emotional moment to ensure that by the end of the film, audiences are walking out of the theatre not only reciting the best jokes of McDonagh’s screenplay but being deeply affected beautiful friendship Malkovich and Rockwell brought to life, both Malkovich and Rockwell are delivering some of the best work of their entire careers in Wild Horse Nine.

Malkovich and Rockwell are on an entirely other level throughout Wild Horse Nine, but the supporting cast never miss a beat, continuing McDonagh’s excellent casting choices present in all of his films. Posey bursts onto the screen with a whirlwind of chaotic energy that never fails to land a great punchline opposite Rockwell as his character’s wife, creating a wonderful dynamic with Rockwell despite her character only being present in two scenes of the film by phone. Steve Buscemi is great as MJ, the head of the CIA in Chile, bringing his familiar energy and presence to the film which is a great match for McDonagh’s writing, while Tom Waits has a truly memorable single scene as Charlie’s brother. But, it is Mariana di Girolamo who is the standout as Monica, the young college student who encounters Chris and Lee on their trip. With a naivety about the world and a genuine compassion amongst a cast of unsavory characters to say the least, di Girolamo brings a tenderness to the film that creates some beautiful moments opposite Malkovich while also feeding into the comedic banter of Malkovich and Rockwell, delivering a breakout performance as she jumps from the Chilean cinema scene to Hollywood.

Big heads, horses, and political espionage, Martin McDonagh’s latest film truly has it all and uses every wild idea, tender character moment and political narrative thread to its best advantage. As with all of his films, McDonagh’s script is sharp, full of hilarious jokes that both deliver zinger one-liners and longer jokes that require patience for a big payoff, but most importantly a deeply moving story of friendship that when paired with the film’s brilliant cast, delivers McDonagh’s most emotionally effective film to date. Led by amazing performances of John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell who bring to life every moment of comedy, reflectiveness and compassion in two of the year’s best performances, Martin McDonagh creates a wildly entertaining and emotionally resonant comedic thriller in Wild Horse Nine that not only measures up to the rest of his impressive filmography but is arguably his best film to date!