The Homesman (2014)

Bradshaw praises the film as a superbly watchable, confident western, while noting that some performances and emotional flourishes verge on over-ripe. He singles out its rich storytelling and deft shifts between brutal shock, black comedy and sentimentality.

The critic calls the film distinctive and moving, praising its ambiguity. He singles out Hilary Swank’s performance and the film’s subtle portrayal of women in the Old West.

The critic finds the film an earnest, unflinching feminist western with interesting, suspenseful tonal shifts. They praise its emotional treatment of gender and longing, along with the strong connection it creates between them.

The review describes the film as a woman-centric, looking-glass Western that reverses familiar genre conventions. It singles out the arduous journey and the story’s shift in terms after a third-act shock.

Hunter finds the film a beautifully crafted, poignant Western that avoids sentimental convention. He singles out Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography and the restrained performances of Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank for praise.

Ebiri finds the film’s uncertain, halting approach eventually achieves a hardscrabble nobility. He praises how its uncomfortable tonal shifts give way to an elegiac, evocative ending.

Kohn finds the film a strange, entertaining but uneven western whose shifting styles leave it muddled. He praises Hilary Swank’s commanding performance, while noting that her role is underdeveloped and the supporting cameos distract.

The critic finds the film flawed and uneven, but admires its deliberately unresolved vision. He singles out its integrity and personality, especially its refusal to offer easy closure.

Lane finds the film a sturdy, moving western, though its early comic scenes feel overdone. He especially praises how Jones cedes the stage to Hilary Swank, whose performance commands the film.

The critic finds the film worthwhile despite narrative jolts and other wobbles. They single out the strong performances and expansive scenery for praise.

The critic calls it another solid directorial effort, despite a mid-film turn toward more conventional Western territory. The exquisitely shot adventure and Hilary Swank’s performance are singled out for praise.

The page could not be accessed, so the critic's verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint can be verified.

The page could not be read, so its verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the accessible text.

The critic finds the film initially ungainly and compelling but ultimately undermined by a mawkish, confusing final act. They praise its early distinctions between compassion and empathy, while faulting the women’s stories for being exploited as shocks.

Sharkey finds the film ambitious and emotionally compelling, though its adaptation struggles to contain the novel’s complexities. She particularly praises Hilary Swank’s vulnerable, steely performance as Mary Bee.

Sragow presents the film as a gritty Western that looks the part, while questioning whether it is true to all its characters. The available text praises its sense of grit and appearance but raises a concern about its characterization.

Andrew finds the film entertaining but disappointing, chiefly because its uneven shifts in tone weaken the story. He praises the sweeping prairie cinematography and the watchability of Jones and Swank, while faulting the portrayals of the three women.

The critic finds the Western ineffective and its nineteenth-century Nebraska setting grim. The page singles out Mary Bee Cuddy as especially affected by that grimness.

O'Sullivan finds the film a droll, stark Western but ultimately a shallow and unconvincing feminist epic. She criticizes its treatment of the mentally ill women, who are given little voice and reduced to interchangeable figures.

Ivy calls the film one of the year’s best, despite its imperfections. He singles out its powerful ending, along with the lead performances and painterly cinematography.

The critic finds the film discordant but thoroughly rewarding, and praises its restrained performances and political edge. They single out Rodrigo Prieto’s painterly cinematography and the frankness of the imagery.

The critic finds the film an engaging, melancholic Western with a vaguely uplifting afterglow. They single out Hilary Swank’s carefully balanced, powerful performance as Mary Bee Cuddy.

Mowe finds the film a compelling, unconventional Western that reverses familiar frontier clichés. He particularly praises its magnificent visuals and Jones’s unsparing depiction of the West.

The critic finds the Western bleak but passionate, unpredictable and distinctive, despite a significant weakness in how it develops the three women being transported. Hilary Swank’s expressive performance is singled out for praise.

The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. The available text does not reveal what the critic praised or criticized.

Crow finds the film visually beautiful and praises the cast, but considers its journey flat and laborious. He singles out Tommy Lee Jones’s performance as the film’s strongest element, while faulting the underdeveloped stories of the women.

Grierson finds the film tonally inconsistent but strange and compelling, though less successful than Jones’s previous directorial effort. He praises the way the flashbacks preserve the transported women’s humanity and make them unsettling figures of the West.

The critic finds the film’s storytelling warped and its treatment of women insensitive, concluding that it misses its apparent aim of inspiring sympathy. The review praises Jones’s atmospheric direction, especially his framing of the wilderness and use of sound to create menace.