TMS Movie Review: Montana Story

(Big Creek Projects / Bleecker Street Media)

A month following Céline Sciamma’s Petite Maman, we get another small-budgeted, modest family drama in Scott McGehee & David Siegel’s Montana Story. Only this time there are more serious themes, all of the characters are adults and the setting is very much grounded in reality. McGeHee & Siegel are the filmmaking duo who brought us independent character pieces like The Deep End (2001) and What Maisie Knew (2012); and now they take their latest tale to the western mountains with very impressive lead performances by Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague.

Cal (Teague) and Erin (Richardson) are two siblings meeting up for the first time in years in their hometown for two sudden emergencies. Their bedridden father is days away from passing after succumbing to a stroke induced coma, while the brother and sister also argue over whether to put down their old childhood horse; who is still living in the family barn with his own health problems. While reconnecting and facing their personal demons, Cal and Erin are forced to acknowledged why they’ve never had a great relationship either. Gilbert Owuor, Kimberly Guerrero and Asivak Koostachin play the locals who aid Cal and Erin throughout their current ordeal.

(Big Creek Projects / Bleecker Street Media)

Montana Story reminds us all you need are two interesting characters played by two talented actors to keep an audience invested in cinematic storytelling. McGehee & Siegel’s new film isn’t as flashy or action packed as Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick currently in major theaters, but it’s relatable and heartfelt in more lowkey ways. Richardson is a revelation, in the same league as Florence Pugh range wise, but also just as endearing as someone like Zoey Deutch. Richardson and Teague both began their careers on popular TV, and effortlessly spread their wings to convincingly portray two complicated individuals who are quickly realizing they’re very close to being all each other have. McGehee & Siegel are experienced enough to not make their story weepy or predictably saccharine, so Montana Story successfully becomes a nice blend of drama and uplifting. If there’s one thing to nitpick, it’s that I’ve reached a point where expository monologues outside of plays feel rather lazy and like filler. There’s quite a few of them here, but to be fair, they are saved by Teague’s and Richardson’s performances selling the dialogue.

On top of this, Giles Nuttgens’ cinematography is breathtaking; and the on-site Montana landscape is stunning on the big screen, especially the shots with the horses. If you enjoy the subgenre of relatives coming together in the wake of tragedy, Montana Story fits the bill nicely.