Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: BUTCHER’S CROSSING [Toronto International Film Festival 2022]
The aspect of the Western requires the aspect of stoicism which also begets a barely contained rage. In "Butcher's Crossing" [Gala Presentation], it is about the goal of a hunter: Miller (played by Nicolas Cage) who sees a large scale buffalo herd hidden in the mountains of Colorado as his path to fame and fortune. Just arriving from the East Coast upon leaving the Ivy League searching for adventure, Will (Fred Hechinger) wants to see the West thinking that there will be a romanticism in it. He wants to go on the hunt. But unlike "First Cow" which explored a man coming to terms of with his own mortality and shortcomings, Will as a character sees the hardships but often than not retreats into himself instead of seeing life beyond compassion. Gabe Polsky, in adapting John William's novel, gets the climate and texture right but it is Cage that rises to the top. Like "Willy's Wonderland", he is playing with form. There his character barely spoke. In this there is a gruff countenance but not a meanness or evil, just a practicality. Shaving his head and saddled with a full bushy beard, it isa different beast but what the characterization shows is a man obsessed but into the realm of controlled craziness, and this is a choice in the realm of the director.
There are some interesting metaphors with some of the others on the hunting party which include the skinner, some of the hunters and an older tracker/man of faith. As conditions become worse, they begin turning on each other but for different reasons that make them human. But what is interesting is seeing the frustration come from the top. The dialogue is muffled in the winds and snow but, as always, Cage is taking it to the limit, even if the camera is not fully on his face. The journey is fraught but the pain is not truly felt for the most, with the exception of Hechinger's face. The misery might have been done with the actual cold. And the film was shot on native lands in Montana so it does carry a context of authenticity to it. The strategy of the buffalo hunt is a little more low key than perhaps other films but that might be respective to budget. When the return is accomplished which this review won't give away, the resolution is stark and yet still open-ended. "Butcher's Crossing" has its focus in mind and knows what story it is telling but it is muddled by a sense of plainness despite another effective though lower keyed performance by Nicolas Cage. B
By Tim Wassberg
