Although his films have been highly acclaimed and nominated for multiple Oscars, I’ve always been slightly skeptical of the work of writer-director Martin McDonagh. He’s undeniably clever, but there’s a show-offy style to his cleverness that bothers me, especially when it’s in service of making self-important social commentary.
So I went into his new film “Wild Horse Nine” with relatively low expectations, just hoping for something less self-serious than “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and less smarmy than “Seven Psychopaths,” his two previous collaborations with star Sam Rockwell.
- Rating: 3/5 Stars
- Verdict: “Wild Horse Nine” is a slight but entertaining dark comedy from writer-director Martin McDonagh, with strong performances from John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as a pair of CIA agents on leave from their South American assignment in 1973. Set on the lovely Easter Island, it works best as a buddy comedy, with less successful turns into sentiment and social commentary.
- Where to watch: Opens Nov. 6 in theaters
What I got is probably my favorite McDonagh movie to date, a dark buddy comedy that harkens back to his 2008 debut feature “In Bruges.” It’s still a bit enamored of its own cleverness at times, and never quite as emotionally affecting as it aims to be. But it’s an entertaining showcase for Rockwell and John Malkovich as a pair of dirtbag CIA agents in 1973, gearing up for the forthcoming military coup in Chile.
McDonagh’s social commentary remains glib and not particularly insightful, but the period setting is really just window dressing for a story about a couple of unlikely friends taking stock of their lives.
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