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Westerns haven’t been in fashion for quite a while. This is a shame because it’s still a fun and viable sub-genre capable of delivering compelling stories. To be fair, westerns have become mostly associated with specific eras of American history (both in their settings and the time they were made) that many of us would rather not be reminded about. This is why I tend to favor separating art from the artists. Because it is not fair to hold a negative position on works of art because you don’t like or agree with the one who made them. To paraphrase Duke Ellington, if it’s good...it’s good.
This brings me to today's subject, News of the World. A western with a compelling and surprisingly relevant story, topped with fantastic performances and an unexpected comprehensive visual style from its director (more on that in a moment). This film proves how possible it is to take something old-fashioned and breathe new life into it. Not to mention yet another wonderful reminder as to why we all love Tom Hanks.
The story follows a man named Captain Kidd (Tom Hanks), a civil war veteran now working as a traveling storyteller and newsreader. One day, he stumbles upon a toppled wagon, with its driver hanging from a tree, and its passenger, a young girl, hiding in the bushes. Upon investigating the scene, the Captain discovers that the young girl's name is Johanna (Helena Zengel), a German immigrant abducted and raised by an unknown Native American tribe. She was in the process of being escorted to her only known living relatives until her convoy was attacked. Now, Captain Kidd must take it upon himself to help Johanna complete her journey, despite how much she doesn’t want to.
The most surprising aspect of this film, at least to me, is how visually gorgeous it is. Not just in the beautiful landscapes and stunning cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, but also in how stable and comprehensive it is, including the editing. The reason for this pleasant surprise is the film's director, Paul Greengrass. His previous work includes all of the Bourne sequels, Green Zone, and Captain Phillips (also starring Tom Hanks). Normally, his films are shot and cut in the most aggressive interpretation of shaky-cam and rapid-fire-editing, which are believed to make a story more immersive. Still, all it does is give the viewer an unwanted headache and a terrible case of nausea.
However, for some unknown reason, most likely due to the large, heavy cameras used to capture the film, and possibly at Mr. Hanks’s insistence (he is also one of the producers), the camera language is stable and comprehensive. This, in turn, allows us to finally get a better sense of Paul Greengrass’s ability as a storyteller. Because, up until now, his over-reliance on shaky-cam and rapid-fire-editing made him a director to avoid. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to finally see his talent, I am confident in saying that he is a genuine storyteller, and he delivers some top-notch direction to this film.
The script is pretty solid and is loaded with memorable moments and stunning scenes. Without spoiling anything, there is one scene, particularly, which offers some relevant commentary on the effects of the civil war at present, and how it continues to haunt and divide our nation. It also showcases some of the better ways to spread unity and combat misinformation. In doing so, it also reminds us just how important stories really are.
As you would expect, Tom Hanks delivers a stunning performance. I am convinced that Mr. Hanks is genuinely incapable of phoning it in. He could not deliver a bad performance even if he wanted to. I could watch him read the phonebook on stage and still be totally entertained. Although, the MVP award of the film must go to the young Helena Zengel. At only twelve-years-old, she displays incredible energy as a performer and stands on par with Mr. Hanks. Their chemistry is a joy to behold and is the unquestionable heart of the whole story.
News of the World is a pleasant surprise of a film. It delivers a wonderfully modern take on a classic vehicle for storytelling and promises a bright future for a rising star. This is one new release that is absolutely worth the price of admission. Check it out.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.
P.S.
Please don’t forget to check out my book if you haven’t already—link below for details.
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