Kimberly Guerrero and Haley Lu Richardson in a scene from Montana Story.Courtesy of TIFF
Montana Story
Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
Written by Scott McGehee, David Siegel and Mike Spreter
Starring Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague
Classification R; 114 minutes
Opens in select theatres June 17, including the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto
Critic’s Pick
A mountainous landscape and a dying father are the central focus of directing duo Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s latest film, Montana Story. Owen Teague and breakout star Haley Lu Richardson (Support the Girls) play two estranged millennial siblings named Cal and Erin who’ve returned home to determine the fate of their comatose father’s ranch, including what to do with an arthritic horse named Mr. T.
While the occasional exposition-laden monologue rears its ugly head, the directors offset their familial drama with plain-spoken filmmaking that foregrounds the beautiful panoramic vistas of Montana in epic fashion. Thanks to the specificity of Richardson’s performance in particular and Giles Nuttgen’s gorgeous cinematography (the movie is shot on 35 mm), Montana Story evokes a grandiose style of American frontier filmmaking, somewhere between John Ford and Kelly Reichardt. See it on the largest screen you can find.
Special to The Globe and Mail
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