The Harder They Fall: Nothing hurts more than the blow of the mirror.

 

Director: Jeymes Samuel

Cast: Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Jonathan Majors, LaKeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Delroy Lindo, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi

Screenplay: Jeymes Samuel; Boaz Yakin

Producers: Lawrence Bender, Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, Jay-Z (who composed songs with the director, who is also a songwriter and musician for the film), Jeymes Samuel.

A few days ago, "The Harder They Fall" premiered on Netflix, which is Jeymes Samuel's directorial debut. A great tribute to the genre, both the classic and the "tacky" better known as spaghetti western.

Jeymes is a renowned songwriter and producer in the mainstream of rap and hip-hop, in fact music as a whole. He has directed short films and is very well-connected, an example of which is his songwriting partnership with Jay-Z, who participates in the production, and also in the soundtrack, both with his own songs, as with other titles with rhythms ranging from rap, hip-hop, reggae, and spirituals (‎spirituals‎‎ are traditional folk ‎‎songs‎‎ that originated in African-American slave communities during the 19th century. When African slaves were brought to the United States and Christianized, they began to noticing biblical parallels to their own situation—and sometimes even encouraged to do so by zealous evangelical whites—).

I could define Samuel's direction as a swing. It's a film with such enthusiasm and rhythm, reminiscent of a James Brown funky one, one that is impossible to hear and stand still. You get sucked into that story early on, with a shocking scene. However, perhaps because of this initial impact, the viewer is a little annoyed with the lack of depth and exploration of the characters for a while, they take a long time to open up to the audience, however, in my case, it didn't take me away from it. Focus as I was in the initial events, which I was waiting with my eyes glued to the screen to know the explanation of.

In time: It is said, before the film starts, right after the Netflix tudum, that this film is a fiction, but that the people in it really existed. In other words, Nat Love, Rufus Buck and all the others did exist, but they didn't even live at the same time. Nat Love, for example, is a historical figure known for being one of the most competent cowboys (and the fact that there aren't many black cowboys). But he had nothing outlaws. If you want to know the real stories, this Screen Rant article is very enlightening (if you don't speak English, just click with the left mouse button and go to "translate to Portuguese").

I've already pointed out what caused me the slightest discomfort, the only real defect in the production, so now, let's talk about the good thing? 

After the first act, a little slowly, and even uneven, as there are some impetuous moments there in the middle of the go-no-go, when you decide to hitch, hitch and accelerate until you come face to face with an angry emotional wall of past sufferings and stories, which unfortunately are as painful as they are real and current. However, until you get there, at the heart of the drama, you laugh a few times, tense up a lot more, and revel in the framing, the hot photography in most scenes, the dialogue and the soundtrack.

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I could start by talking about performances that range from competent to brilliant.

From the costumes that were very well done, the clothes, both on the men and on the women, were so natural that it seemed that they had always been dressed like that.

I could talk about how the sets were also convincing, to the point of asking myself, because you don't have such care with other films, not only in this genre, but in others.

But I will, with all due respect, expand on the text, the script.

What's so good about this script?

As someone who works (even if not for paid for it) with words, I have (actually, always had, since I was a child) great appreciation for well-written and soulful texts, texts with a certain take a piece of me there. The director knows, yes, to get his message across in the way he directs, he's quite adept at it, but it's in the script that he actually speaks. It sounds redundant, but it isn't.

How many times do we see a film where a character screams, cries, rips clothes, and yet, no matter how much expository dialogue there is, you still don't understand why it's dramatic. It's not your insensitivity. It's the artificiality of the script. Here, there is not a single drop (or rather, letter) that is artificial. "But you said that it takes time to engage the delivery of characters". Yes, that's real, but it can be called superficiality, and, well, sometimes it takes a person a little while to let you get past the superficial point with them, right? You don't know anyone in a day. If it took a little longer, or if it didn't even pass the first layer, then yes, I would support those who curse it and would echo it, even.

The negative reviews do not hold up, because, as I said before, Samuel's first feature film has rhythm, charisma, and it says completely, both showing and speaking, what it came from.

None of the characters had an easy life. Everyone knows how to handle weapons and fight because, on their roads, the important thing was to survive and be hurt as little as possible. If the way to do that was stealing, beating and killing, well, before they were on the side that hit, because you can see that everyone there got beaten up a lot. And when we get hit, we learn to hit.

The fact that Nat Love's gang steals from thieves means that he doesn't mind taking dangers, and they are very shrewd at what they do, as a failure can lead to their death. And that already tells us a lot about the character, and who walks with him. Loyalty to a pack that may be dead an hour later belongs to people who prefer to live at an absurd risk, as they have lived much worse before, and then you think: what have these people gone through for them to think this life is best?

From the bank scene, where they impose respect without firing a shot, I could tell that, from the satisfaction, which even I felt, that what they often went through was oppression, humiliation and the feeling of not really being part of the middle in who lived. This was, together with the traumas of each one, leading them to a survival state of the strongest in its purest and cruellest understanding.

These conclusions are mine alone. I haven't seen anyone, involved in the film or not, talking about it anywhere, so that perception may be wrong. In other words, it's just what I really think, nothing more.

The Cast

                                         

One of the things that has generated the most anticipation since the production was announced, and the cast names, declared (there have been some changes, thanks to the pandemic, Cynthia Erivo, Wesley Snipes and Sterling K. Brown, originally cast, have had to say goodbye to filming) was whether these reputable actors alone would be reason enough to attract audiences.

If the direction and script weren't good, the cast would hardly do anything worthwhile. However, as everything went correctly, the stars stood out with primacy.

Idris Elba is cohesive and sensitive like few others, most of the time he excels in just one appearance, and hardly needs lines to impress. Here, playing ruthless outlaw Rufus Buck, it's no different.

Jonathan Mayors has already got me excited applause in LoKi. Magnificent! How Nat Love, who lives through his trauma and seeks revenge (could parallel a hero, but surely someone would complain about spoilers), made me wonder for a few minutes if I would ever see that Marvel series splendor again, but when he finally comes out of the woodwork, there is no going back. His performance is ravishing.

LaKeith Stanfield, it's barbaric. Nothing this guy does goes bad, and that's awesome. When he introduces himself on the train as Cherokee Bill e, he treats everything the pack does in that formal informality, you know?! So, let's sort things out here, but it's nothing personal, okay? It's even funny. He appears (only appears) more docile and patient than is expected even from the woman present among the bandits.

Regina King with her absurd talent playing Treacherous Trudy (Trudy Treacherous), does not show an ounce of feeling, remorse or consideration even with fellow members of the group. If she has a member that surpasses Rufus in cruelty and coldness, it's her.

Zazie Beetz is also competent as Stagecoach Mary, Nat Love's love interest. Zazie is imposing, her presence is always remarkable, and the actress knows how to take advantage of her figure.

Danielle Deadwyler, like Cuffee, is exquisite. Her character, I dare to deduce, was the riskiest and whose roleplaying challenge was greater. The dexterity of the actress was gigantic not to let her performance get corny or slip into pathetic.

RJ Cyler, Edi Gathegi and Delroy Lindo complete the dream team, champion and overwhelming. All three are relevant, have good times and don't disappoint.

In short: If you're looking for a well-directed, emotional film with a good story and more than effective acting, I would of course recommend "Revenge and Punishment"/"The Harder They Fall".

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                             Grade: 8.5