#TIFF24: “ON SWIFT HORSES” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

On Swift Horses is set in Eisenhower America in the 50s. Just after the war and when California was a promise of the best place to live. It follows married couple Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Lee (Will Poulter) who plan to move to California. Yet, when Lee’s brother Julius (Jacob Elordi) arrives back from the Korean War, Muriel and Julius notice something inside both of them that creates a bond no matter the distance they are.

Adapting beloved novels is a tough thing to accomplish. On Swift Horses is adapted from the novel of the same name by Shannon Pufahl. This book was a prize winner for lesbian fiction, however, this adaptation has placed more focus on a romantic drama mixed with gambling. It’s clear Muriel and Julius ignite something within the other. They see the need for freedom brimming within. This makes the first half of On Swift Horses focused.

However, we’re soon brought into the world of gambling and stay there for a while. Muriel bets on horses in California while Julius is in Vegas counting cards. During this time, Julius falls for a fellow gambler Henry (Diego Calva). The heart of Pufahl’s novel begins coming through as we see Julius and Henry’s relationship grow. In his supporting role, it’s Calva’s strong performance that stays with the audience. It’s also at this time that Muriel begins having an affair with her neighbour Sandra (Sasha Calle). However, there isn’t enough time spent with the two to truly show the care they have for each other. 

Overall, On Swift Horses is a queer romance film that at times loses that focus at the expense of a gambling story and adds the question of a possible love triangle. Yet, it is beautifully shot by Canadian Cinemaographer Luc Montpellier who makes 50s America feel like a neo-noir film.

On Swift Horses screens at TIFF ’24:

Sat, Sept 7 at 6:15 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sun, Sept 8 at 9 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Sat, Sept 14 at 9:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto

Sun, Sept 15 at 12:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto