What comes to mind when you think of the title On Swift Horses? It might evoke the typical themes of a classic Western story with cowboys and horses, or perhaps an adventure story of chasing new horizons. However, this feature from director Daniel Minahan delves far beyond the simple conventional themes, and toward rich vulnerability. Adapted from the novel by Shannon Pufahl, On Swift Horses depicts a post-war America where risky endeavors and scandalous actions lead to understanding oneself and rebelling against societal expectations, all in the name of love.
With a stunning cast led by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jacob Elordi, the 1950s-set film embraces the compelling elements of an intimate romance period drama while tying it to queer relationships and themes of forbidden love, desires, freedom, and self-discovery. Yet On Swift Horses falters when balancing its narrative, leaving central storylines and character arcs alienated from the overall plot.
What Is ‘On Swift Horses’ About?
On Swift Horses follows war veteran Julius (Elordi) who arrives at the doorstep of his older brother, Lee (Will Poulter), and his fiancée, Muriel’s (Edgar-Jones) home in Kansas. Lee has made long-term plans for a new American life: Living in a quiet California home with a steady new job alongside his future wife and children. Meanwhile, Muriel and Julius have other desires and are more alike than they realize.
They settle into their new lives, with Muriel trapped in the “perfect American life” set by Lee and Julius trying to understand his purpose and identity in a world that is not accepting of a queer man. Julius then flees to Las Vegas to help casino security catch fraudsters, leading him to be entangled with fellow fraudbuster Henry (Diego Calva), with whom he shares a deeply passionate connection.
In parallel, Muriel embarks on a secret life gambling on horseraces, directing her to discover her true identity and a love she never knew she’d come across. Through all this, the secrets kept by Muriel and Julius start to fracture them, leading to intense heartbreak and danger for themselves and everyone they love.
‘On Swift Horses’ Engagingly Explores Parallel Storylines That Are Left Uneven
Following in the vein of queer romance films like Brokeback Mountain, themes of freedom and self-discovery flourish compellingly in On Swift Horses. This is seen through the tough choices and emotional relationships Muriel and Julius separately undergo — especially the link between Julius and Henry as they become the film’s primary emotional focus.
However, when it comes down to equally balancing the film’s narrative with the two main characters, it causes the storylines to go overboard, leaving the film’s whole purpose — which is to understand the quiet decisions two people take to be their genuine selves — more exaggerated, overwhelming, and honestly, silly. The core details of the characters’ journeys which include Muriel and Julius’ gambling choices and the hidden queer love storylines are evident. And yet, the full narrative execution makes it seem like Muriel and Julius are in a battle for center stage, which shouldn’t be the case as their stories are meant to coincide.
The film’s slow pacing doesn’t help with this either, making the runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes feel longer than it is. In retrospect, this book-to-film adaptation would be much better explored through a limited series than a movie, allowing for a deeper understanding of the characters and their adventures.
Despite the rocky narrative, Minahan and screenwriter Bryce Klass give a spotlight on the hardships of the past, mainly regarding an era when the discovery of homosexuality can cause danger to one’s life. A moving scene in the third act allows the film to feel universally profound and transcendent, as it encompasses the true objective of adapting Pufahl’s novel: To bring light to those in the past who only wanted to seek love as their authentic selves in a world that didn’t accept them.
The Star-Studded Cast of ‘On Swift Horses’ Makes the Film Worth Watching
On Swift Horses works, in large part, due to its talented ensemble cast. After starring in Fresh, Where the Crawdads Sing, and most recently Twisters, Daisy Edgar-Jones has become a name to look out for in Hollywood. Edgar-Jones leads On Swift Horses with purpose as she performs with every color of emotion in a deep, strong, and focused manner. Her compelling performance allows audiences to view Muriel’s story with a rich authenticity, especially in scenes where Muriel truly discovers herself.
Jacob Elordi, best known for his work in Euphoria, brings maturity and a vulnerable depth to Julius. Elordi’s performance is exceptionally raw, helping audiences to feel and understand Julius and the complicated choices that make him the man he is. Moreover, Will Poulter offers strength in his role as Lee, though, unfortunately, the film doesn’t allow him to explore his character fully.
Diego Calva is charming and bold-spirited in his role as Henry. Henry’s importance to Julius’ life helps audiences fall in love with their relationship, which can largely be credited to the steamy chemistry shared by Calva and Elordi. Although Sasha Calle portrays Sandra with dynamic confidence, much like Poulter’s Lee, Sandra is a character left on the sidelines before resurfacing to support Edgar-Jones’ Muriel. The actress, however, delivers a sense of honesty to Sandra as she yearns for peace in her sexuality and challenging life.
Assembling a cast of this caliber is a testament to the growing young talent coming out of Hollywood. And yet, On Swift Horses should’ve better allowed these talented actors to shine amidst the uneven narrative.
‘On Swift Horses’ Focus on Love and Self-Discovery Is Immersive
There are times when longer-form storytelling is needed to properly draw out the characters and storylines that authors establish in literature; On Swift Horses serves as an example of a book-to-film adaptation that deserves this kind of mindful treatment, as it leaves more to be desired than what is presented on screen in under two hours.
With a film containing beautiful production design and cinematography, it’s disappointing that the narrative imbalance takes away from fully experiencing the two inter-connective stories. Yet, On Swift Horses is alluring in its exploration of the lives of both Muriel and Julius, held up by the solid performances of its up-and-coming cast.
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'On Swift Horses' Review | TIFF 2024
'On Swift Horses' Review | TIFF 2024The Good
- The cast provide deeply convincing performances.
- The film's focus on queer relationships is done with thought and care.
The Bad
- The film's narrative structure struggles to balance between its two main characters.
- Will Poulter and Sasha Calle deserve much than what they were given to do.
