5 minute read
“The Harder They Fall”
J.T. HOLT, REGINA KING, ZAZIE BEETZ, AND JUSTIN CLARKE
MAIN CAST:Zazie Beetz, Deon Cole, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Idris Elba, Edi Gathegi, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, LaKeith Stanfield, Damon Wayans Jr. CASTING BY:Victoria Thomas DIRECTED BY: Jeymes Samuel WRITTEN BY:Jeymes Samuel and Boaz Yakin DISTRIBUTED BY: Netflix
FIRST-TIME FEATURE WRITER AND DIRECTOR
Jeymes Samuel delivers a Western unlike any other with “The Harder They Fall.” Spotlighting an all-star cast that has already received this year’s Ensemble Tribute at the Gotham Awards, the film depicts a fictional revenge story—but with real-life American legends from the Old West.
Jonathan Majors leads the cast as Nat Love, an outlaw who unites with his gang to seek revenge on the man who killed his parents. Majors continues to prove he’s leading man material; beneath his wisecracking confidence, there’s stern conflict just under the surface. Love has to be a leader and protect his posse while confronting his traumatic past, and Majors conveys all of that fluently.
Rival gang leader Rufus Buck, played menacingly by Idris Elba, is the man Love is after. Elba has made a prestigious career out of portraying devious, calculating villains; but what makes Buck more vicious than even Stringer Bell of “The Wire” is that here, he’s above the law. There are more similarities between Love and Buck than there are differences, and their conflict hinges on where each draws his moral line.
Love is joined by his trusted advisor and lover, Zazie Beetz’s Mary Fields, aka Stagecoach Mary. As usual, Beetz is electric in both soft and action-packed moments. Though she’s always there for Love, she’s the master of her own fate and is willing to get her hands dirty no matter the outcome. RJ Cyler and Edi Gathegi play Jim Beckwourth and Bill Pickett, respectively; their witty repartee adds to the film’s comedic moments. The sibling-esque chemistry between Cyler and Gathegi is note-perfect; hopefully, we’ll see more collaborations between these two in the future.
Danielle Deadwyler delivers an empowered performance as Cuffee, the scrappy muscle who joins Love’s crew on their quest. The stylish finesse she showcases while proving all of her doubters wrong offers this story’s most cheerworthy moments. Rounding out our team is Delroy Lindo as the legendary Bass Reeves, a U.S. Marshal who teams up with Love to bring down Buck. Lindo’s familiar gravitas fits nicely into the crew’s sensibilities, and he imbues the character with wisdom.
The always-fantastic Regina King joins Buck’s gang as “Treacherous” Trudy Smith. The obvious fun King has with her Old West accent alone makes her performance a joy to watch. She delivers a monologue about a key moment from her past, nonchalantly skinning an apple all the while; there’s no telling how the scene will play out, but you hang onto every word the Oscar and Emmy winner says, holding your breath to see what she does next.
LaKeith Stanfield is Cherokee Bill, an infamous outlaw with a reputation for being the fastest gunslinger in the West. Stanfield brings a different kind of energy to the film, his wry humor delivered with calm conviction. Seeing him add yet another standout role to his catalog is a treat.
It’s impressive to see how much Samuel accomplishes in his feature directorial debut. Sharp writing, plus stylish cinematography and editing, enhance the energetic performances from his all-star cast. Throw in the contemporary music he also created, and you have a fresh perspective on the classic Western.
—JALEN MICHAEL
DELROY LINDO, JONATHAN MAJORS, DANIELLE DEADWYLER, EDI GATHEGI, AND RJ CYLER
