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Tommy Lee Jones, known for his distinctive on-screen presence, has also made a mark as a director in Hollywood, especially with his affinity for Westerns. Of the four films he has directed, three belong to the Western genre: “The Good Old Boys,” “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,” and “The Homesman.” However, these films aren’t typical Westerns. While they delve into familiar themes like revenge, justice, and perilous journeys through untamed territories, they defy easy classification. Among these, 2014’s “The Homesman” stands out as particularly unconventional. At first glance, it might seem like a traditional Western with its sweeping landscapes, somber music, and rugged cowboys paired with virtuous women, yet it breaks away from the traditional mold in surprising ways.
Roadside Attractions/Saban Films
The film’s approach to violence is restrained yet impactful, and its characters are quirky but captivating. The storyline, though seemingly simple, is rich with intricate emotions simmering beneath the surface. “The Homesman” is a narrative about society’s rejects—both women and men—who struggle to find acceptance. It paints a poignant picture of isolation and sorrow but skillfully avoids descending into sentimentality or manipulation. Instead, it even finds moments of absurd humor within its tragic context, managing to laugh at its own misfortunes without belittling them. This complexity earns “The Homesman” the 12th spot in our ranking of Jones’ directorial works.
While Jones not only directed and starred in the film but also co-wrote its screenplay with Kieran Fitzgerald and Wesley A. Oliver, the spotlight belongs to Hilary Swank. Swank, who has faced challenges in landing roles recently, delivers a powerful performance as Mary Bee Cuddy. Her portrayal captures the essence of a noble yet unfortunate woman who hires Jones’ character for a perilous mission.
Adapted from Glendon Swarthout’s 1988 novel, “The Homesman” follows Cuddy, a single woman managing her farm in the Midwest during the 1850s. She volunteers for a daunting task that no man is willing to undertake: transporting three mentally ill women by carriage to a Methodist church in Iowa after their husbands have abandoned them. Despite it not being her responsibility, she steps up when all the men cowardly refuse. During her preparations, she encounters George Briggs, played by Jones, who is left to die for trespassing. Cuddy saves him, but only if he agrees to assist her in escorting the women, a deal he reluctantly accepts.
Briggs, though initially portrayed as a drunken fool, ultimately keeps his promise. His demands are modest: a pistol, ammunition, and a jug of whiskey, while he retains the option to leave at any time. He stays, however, enticed by the $300 Cuddy promises for completing the journey. The three women—Arabella (Grace Summers), Theoline (Miranda Otto), and Sonja (Gro Svendsen)—have each endured harrowing experiences that have shattered their mental states, depicted through vivid flashbacks that provide some of the film’s most poignant and unsettling moments. These women are so deeply affected that society has given up on them.
The thankless job of being a good, honest, and kind woman in the old West
Roadside Attractions/Saban Films
Similarly, Cuddy and Briggs are societal misfits, which makes them uniquely suited for both the task at hand and each other.
Although he is a drunken buffoon, Briggs eventually honors his word. All he asks for is a pistol, cartridges, and a jug of whiskey — while noting that he could abandon Cuddy whenever he wants. He won’t, because she offers him $300 if he stays the entire journey. The three wives, Arabella (Grace Summers), Theoline (Miranda Otto), and Sonja (Gro Svendsen), have all suffered different traumas that shattered their state of mind. The causes are shown in flashbacks, and they’re the most soul-stirring, potentially upsetting moments of the film. These women are so far gone that society renounces them.
Cuddy and Briggs, meanwhile, are outcasts of society, too. Which makes them fitting for the job, and for each other.
A heartbreaking journey to a doomed fate
Roadside Attractions/Saban Films
Although Cuddy is smart, educated, and savvy, she’s slowly growing desperate due to being unable to find a man to marry her. They deem her too plain and bossy. Briggs, on the other hand, spent most of his life as a runaway, never committing to anything or anyone, and seeing that, falsely, as the ultimate freedom. He’s harsh, callous, and sometimes volatile, but he’s not blind to affection and kindness, even if he often acts like a heartless bastard.
When he sees Cuddy treat the helpless women with tenderness throughout the trip, it affects him, too. He appreciates her humanity and care, gradually growing closer to her. But he’s no savior or hero — and Jones understands that perfectly both as an actor and filmmaker. Swank’s determined yet soulful portrayal of Cuddy is the heart of the film, and Jones (as a director) never sways away from uplifting her in every way he can, even when the final act of the movie unexpectedly falls on Briggs’ shoulders, forcing him to carry the story to its close.
“The Homesman” is far from an easy film, and many might struggle to interpret what its message is meant to be. It talks about loneliness, ostracism, and the power of kindness, but it never provides definite answers to some big questions. Viewers have to draw their own conclusions, and if you’re willing to do that, you might find something precious, poignant, or even upsetting. The movie’s power lies in being able to elicit all of those outcomes due to a wide range of emotions. For that alone, it’s a special little western that every fan hungry for something different should watch at least once.
