The Pain and Power of Living Authentically in 1950s America
DIRECTED BY DANIEL MIRAHAN/2025
What does it cost to live truthfully? For the characters in On Swift Horses, the answer lurks somewhere on the promising Western horizon. Adapted by director Daniel Minahan from the novel written by Shannon Pufahl, this meditative drama examines the repression of identity in a community built on repression. It is a tale of outsiders who may not actually want to be on the inside. Perhaps, instead, they dream beyond the societal constraints forced upon them by a world unwilling to accept their truth.
Set in the 1950s, the film begins in a rural America on the brink of recovery from the conclusion of the Korean War. Looking for a fresh start in this new age, newlyweds Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Lee (Will Poulter) have made plans to travel west to California. Included in their vision is Lee’s younger brother Julius (Jacob Elordi), freshly returned from the frontlines and discharged early from the military. From the moment this group gathers under the same roof, it is clear the relationships here are fraught with secrets and undisclosed tension. This is especially present with Muriel and Julius, who form an instant bond whose nature is left frustratingly undefined at first. This odd trio hatches a plan for a prosperous future in San Diego that is brimming with youthful optimism.
A quick six-month jump shatters that hopeful vision: Muriel and Lee are scrapping by in their shabby apartment and Julius is nowhere to be found. Following one of his various reckless fancies, Julius finds himself working security at a Las Vegas casino. In this bustling city, he discovers an alluring connection with his coworker Henry (Diego Calva). As Julius spirals into the uncertain world of gambling, Muriel finds herself drawn to the same trade at the horse track. It is here that their odd kinship starts to gain clarity. These are two souls willing to gamble for a chance at real connection in a world they feel lost within. But is their forbidden love worth the risk of jeopardizing their winning streak?
The attention to the period detail is stunning, specifically when it comes to wardrobe (I would personally borrow any one of Edgar-Jones’ outfits in a heartbeat). A single glance at the cast list would give even casual theatre goers pause. On Swift Horses certainly boasts one of the most compelling young casts of the year. The display of talent at work here is impressive, and perhaps the saving grace of the project entirely. What reads as a guaranteed box office success suffers from a painfully sluggish script. The plots stalls enough times that it becomes entirely distracting from the emotional weight of these performances. Though the visuals are impressive, Minahan relies entirely too heavily on their power to propel the film forward.
The most intriguing shot of the film, and arguably the beating heart of the project, quietly sneaks into the closing act. Included in the final montage is a “dead letter board” at the local bar. Each love letter, old photo, and scribbled phone number feels like a hopeless shout into the endless void of time. It is an immensely powerful visual of the genuine pain and loss that has defined queer history for decades. This is a community fighting for a place to just simply be, to love and build their lives without having to constantly fight for the right to exist.
On Swift Horses is an admirable adaptation of a stirring novel that falls just shy of greatness. Mixed within the dreamy camerawork is a fractured script that aims higher than it could have hoped to reach. Each character is riddled with their own flaws that, at the risk of being perceived as unlikeable, make them painfully human. Underneath the tragedy of it all is the hopeful fight for a better future. Muriel and Julius are brave enough to play their hand and risk the chance of losing everything for just a moment to live honestly.