Old Henry (2021).

“You got some balls, I’ll give you that.”

Directed by Potsy Ponciroli

Written by Potsy Ponciroli

Starring Tim Blake Nelson, Stephen Dorff, Scott Haze, and Gavin Lewis

The Stage.

In the old west, an old farmhand named Henry lives a quiet life with his son, Wyatt. While out one morning, Henry finds a man presumed dead with a satchel full of cash nearby and brings them both home with him. Unfortunately, a trio of lawmen are looking for both of those things, and they’re not going to leave Henry’s farm without them.

The Review.

Tim Blake Nelson is a fantastic character actor and I was glad to see him get a starring role here. He’s brilliant as Henry, a crusty old man who really just wants to live the simple life, but has a strained relationship with his teenage son who wants more out of his life. Stephen Dorff is really good as well as Ketchum, a long-winded gruff with a duster and a sheriff’s badge. The verbal exchanges between Ketchum and Henry are the best parts of the film, and that’s saying a lot, because this is a pretty good western overall.

I like violent, rated-R western films, and Old Henry definitely fits the bill. It’s bloody but never gratuitous. The film is a pretty slow build up until it’s climax but it feels well earned and never bored me, although the script is well written when it comes to dialogue, it runs into some predictable, well-worn territory for certain story beats, especially during the final showdown. It’s essentially a dusty siege film that basically all takes place in or around Henry’s house.

I’m not sure if it was the editor or if the film played out as written, but there were some strange choices that I feel hold Old Henry back from being a great western. The mysterious man who’s recovering in their house has some flashbacks to his past that give us glimpses into his relationship with Henry, but they’re totally unnecessary and, along with a newspaper clipping shown on the ground, actively take away from a reveal at the end of the film. I feel like I’m saying this a lot in reviews lately, but it really feels like filmmakers just have no respect or confidence in their audience.

The End.

Old Henry is a strong western that fans of the genre are sure to like. Tim Blake Nelson and the rest of the supporting cast do a really great job and the dialogue is snappy and really brings you into the picture. If Potsy Ponciroli had a little more confidence in his film, I think it could have taken the movie from good to great, but it’s still an easy film to recommend.