On Swift Horses (2024) – Movie Review
On Swift Horses (2024) is a lyrical, slow-burning drama that unfolds like a quiet storm—filled with longing, secrets, and the unspoken desires that hover just beneath the surface. Directed with restraint and emotional clarity, the film is adapted from Shannon Pufahl’s acclaimed debut novel and brings to the screen a story of love, identity, and escape in postwar America.
Set in the 1950s, the story follows Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a newlywed woman trying to build a quiet, stable life with her husband, Lee (Jacob Elordi), in Southern California. But her world is soon upended by the arrival of Lee’s younger brother, Julius (Will Poulter), a charismatic and mysterious drifter with a troubled soul. As Muriel becomes increasingly drawn to Julius, their emotional connection—and eventual romantic tension—sets the stage for a deeply personal journey marked by gambling, betrayal, and quiet acts of rebellion.
The film delicately explores themes of queerness and longing, with Julius’s storyline becoming the emotional backbone of the narrative. Elordi’s performance is subtle and introspective, a far cry from his louder past roles, and Edgar-Jones brings a soft, haunted complexity to Muriel. Will Poulter, in a role that may surprise some, plays a quietly mesmerizing love interest whose very presence unsettles the delicate dynamic between the characters.
Visually, On Swift Horses is rich in tone and texture—bathed in golden light, dusty backroads, and quiet motel rooms. The cinematography captures both the stillness of domestic life and the unpredictable danger of the gambling underworld that Julius slips into. It’s a film that takes its time, lingering on glances, gestures, and unspoken tension rather than rushing to dramatic conclusions.
At its heart, On Swift Horses is about people who feel out of place in their own lives—searching for freedom, for meaning, and for someone who truly sees them. The film doesn’t shout its message; instead, it whispers, trusting the audience to lean in and feel the weight of what’s unsaid.
Though its pacing may be too gentle for some viewers, those who appreciate character-driven stories and emotional subtlety will find On Swift Horses a rewarding experience. It’s a film that captures the ache of suppressed desire and the quiet courage it takes to imagine another life.
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