Ain't Them Bodies Saints - B

Unrated, 97 minutes

"Ain't Them Bodies Saints" a poetic, well-acted crime drama

Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck

"Ain't Them Bodies Saints" is the new Texas-filmed that's part crime drama and part love story. From director and newcomer David Lowery, it's handsomely filmed, slow-moving and moody. Set against the backdrop of 1970's Texas Hill Country, a notorious outlaw, Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck), breaks out of prison to reunite with his wife Ruth (Rooney Mara) and the daughter he's never met, in addition to facing the local police officer (Ben Foster) who was wounded as a result of their crime spree. "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," an original film both written and directed by Lowery is reflective, elegiac in tone and features two strong, believable performances from Mara and Affleck as the leads. The lush, award-winning photography by Bradford Young is especially memorable and evokes Terrence Malick, in particular Malick's "Days of Heaven." (1978). As Malick's films aren't for everyone, neither is this, and some will not enjoy the slow pacing and lingering shots. In addition to Mara and Affleck, Foster is also strong as is the underrated Keith Carradine, very effective as someone who is both a friend and an enemy to the couple. Emotionally satisfying and featuring one of the most energetic scores of recent memory, the lyrical "Ain't Them Bodies Saints" is a small breakout for director and writer Lowery, who is a filmmaker to watch.

Wes's Grade: B