Wild Horse Nine
by Hope Madden
A lot of filmmakers make killers and mobsters the heroes of their films. Few do it with the nuance, humanity, moral irreverence, and fascinating political backdrop as writer/director Martin McDonagh.
Whether it’s a pissed off mother and the racist cop she accidentally blew up, a suddenly fractured set of besties, or a couple of hitmen, an unlikely friendship tends to be the anchor to McDonagh’s features. And roiling in the background you’ll usually find a culture in crisis.
For Wild Horse Nine, that culture is Chile circa 1973, and that odd couple is Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell), CIA agents sent to destabilize the Chilean government in preparation of a coup d’état.
The pair head to Easter Island for a week away, but Chris’s increasingly “no shits to give” behavior has their boss MJ (Steve Buscemi) steamed, Chris in danger, and Lee caught in a winless situation.
The detailed time stamp and historical fascination—sometimes coy, but bitingly serious—informs every scene. The dialog drips with cynical humor inspired by the CIA, and McDonagh’s casting ensures the comedy also bites. Parker Posey, with just a couple of scenes, leaves a riotous impression.
Likewise, in a drily, wearily irritated performance, Buscemi carves out yet another masterful supporting performance.
As expected, it’s the bromance at the center that matters most, and Rockwell and Malkovich have never been better. Rockwell, at first blush, seems to be playing a riff on a favorite: a little dumber than he should be, funny, flippant, easy to hang out with, liable to dance. But simmering inside that delightful character is a heartbroken friend doing his best to do right by his buddy.
Malkovich, the buddy, has maybe never been better. His arc is surprising from beginning to end, but there’s something fully honest in the way Chris grapples with morality, regret, faith, dinosaurs. The performance is sometimes playful but in an existential, almost melancholy way. And the unexpected tenderness between Chris and Lee is deeply moving.
So, another triumph of F bombs, murder, politics, and friendship and a film you need to find time to see.
