News of the World review

NEWS OF THE WORLD: 

TOM HANKS AND DIRECTOR PAUL GREENGRASS MAKE THE OLD WEST COME ALIVE IN THIS POWERFUL AND COMPELLING DRAMA! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel in News of the World

 

            Tom Hanks (Apollo 13, Cast Away, The Post) reunites with director Paul Greengrass (Bourne franchise, Green Zone, Captain Phillips) who had previously worked together on the 2013 film, Captain Phillips to bring Paulette Jiles’ beloved Western novel to the screen in News of the World. I have not read the book, but I brought a couple of people who have with me and filled me in about what was changed after the film, because I haven’t read it myself, I will be judging it on its own. 

            How does News of the World hold up as a movie? It’s good, really damn good! A bit of a slow burn, but it tells a very powerful story with strong characters, incredible cinematography and costume design, excellent performances by Hanks and German actress, Helena Zengel in her first international production, and a fantastic musical score by composer, James Newton Howard (The Sixth Sense, Batman Begins/The Dark Knight, King Kong (2005)). It’s easily one of Paul Greengrass’ best films and has another potential Oscar-nominated performance from Hanks as well as one for Zengel who is phenomenal, by the way. 

            The film follows Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks), a Civil War veteran tasked to return a young girl named Johanna (Zengel) who was taken in by Native Americans as an infant to her last remaining family. The two of them venture into the harsh and unforgiving plains of Texas to bring Johanna home, but their adventure turns into a fight for survival as they encounter danger around every corner, both human and natural. 

            The film also stars Fred Hechinger (Human Capital, Fear Street, The Woman in the Window) as John Calley, Neil Sandilands (The 100, The Flash, Coyote Lake) as Wilhelm Leonberger, Thomas Francis Murphy (Leatherheads, True Detective, The Walking Dead) as Merritt Farley, Mare Winningham (St. Elmo’s Fire, Georgia, Dark Waters) as Jane, Elizabeth Marvel (Burn After Reading, Lincoln, House of Cards) as Ella Gannett, Chukwudi Iwuji (Doctor Who, John Wick: Chapter 2, Peacemaker) as Charles Edgefield, Ray McKinnon (Apollo 13, The Net, Ford v. Ferrari) as Christopher John “C.J.” Kidd, and Bill Camp (Molly’s Game, Joker, The Queen’s Gambit) as Willie Branholme. 

            Overall, News of the World is a powerful and compelling film that goes down a somewhat familiar Western trail, but the performances by Hanks and Zengel as well as the production design and cinematography are more than enough to keep it an engaging and captivating ride throughout. It’s also an unexpected but very welcome departure from Paul Greengrass’ usual fare because whenever I think of that director I think of a lot of shaky-cam, intense car chases and/or fight scenes, and an action-thriller tone, you know, the tricks he uses in the Bourne movies and here comes a film from him that has none of that, it felt more like something Steven Spielberg or Ron Howard would have directed, I had forgotten Greengrass directed this movie until the end credits. 

            The film is a love letter to classic Western stories in the same vein as the Coen Brothers’ remake of True Grit to the point where the plot is quite similar to the one from True Grit. A man and a young girl embark on a quest to bring said girl to a specific location, in True Grit’s case it’s to find the man who killed Mattie Ross’ father, whereas here it’s to bring Johanna to her last remaining family members, it’s a classic and timeless Western story retold but it never feels rehashed.

            The production and costume designs and cinematography are amazing and makes the Old West come alive with every frame. From the sweeping shots of the landscapes to the architecture of the buildings, and subtle details like the dirty clothing, you are watching the Old West but it just happens to have Tom Hanks in it, if this movie doesn’t at least get nominated for Oscars in those categories I’m going to be very mad. 

            As always, Tom Hanks is excellent and giving a million percent whenever he’s onscreen, I wouldn’t call it one of my favorite performances of his, but he’s extremely compelling and you believe the relationship he has with the young girl, who in my opinion steals the show. This marks Helena Zengel’s first film outside of Germany and she knocks it out of the park…and with very little dialogue, most of her lines consist of noises and small German phrases as well as a few English ones on top of some very expressive faces, but you can tell just by her face alone how she feels and what’s on her mind even without the speaking lines, both actors work wonderfully with one another and I look forward to seeing them collaborate again on another film in the future. 

            If you’re a fan of Westerns, Tom Hanks, Paul Greengrass, and/or potential award contenders, then News of the World is one not to be missed. It’s a rare Western film that’s more of an emotional journey rather than a gun-slinging, horse-riding adventure that I will gladly go on again.