All the Pretty Horses stars Matt Damon and Henry Thomas as John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins. They are two teenage Texans who yearn for the cowboy life (both actors are a little too old for these roles, but are well cast nevertheless). It’s 1949, after the death of his father Cole’s mother sells the family farm. Unhappy with what Texas is turning into, Cole and Rawlins hop on their horses and head to Mexico, a vast and largely untouched land that they hope will contain all that America once was. Unfortunately, they find a lot more than they expected.

Despite the fact that the marketing for this film would have you believe that it is a romance epic, it isn’t. While Cole does meet a girl, Alejandra, (played by Penelope Cruz), and their romance does contribute to the plot, it is only one small part of a larger story. The story is more about two friends on an adventure. There are no real heroes and no acts of superhuman bravery. It’s simply about two young men growing up and facing challenegs they never expected.

For me, All the Pretty Horses is a frustrating movie. I saw it and liked it, but ultimately felt dissatisfied. I just knew that something was missing. Two days later I found myself wanting to see the film again. Despite the fact that it disappointed me, it does have lasting impact. Since then, I’ve read the book that it’s based on by Cormac McCarthy. Sure enough, there is a lot that’s missing. Rumor has it that director Billy Bob Thornton was asked to edit the length of the final version substantially. As it stands now, All the Pretty Horses is a compelling but choppy ***1/2 movie. However, I can’t help but wonder if underneath it all there is a ***** classic. Let’s hope for a DVD with a Director’s Cut.

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