Recent years have seen one name dominating the Western genre, but before Taylor Sheridan brought Yellowstone to Paramount+ and created a streaming monster, there was another name that delivered a near-perfect action-western to the world. And the world pretty much ignored it. That name was Old Henry, not a real person but a 2021 movie starring Tim Blake Nelson that you will soon be able to find streaming on Paramount+.
While Taylor Sheridan has brought his own brand of brash modern sensibility to the genre, those looking for a Western that relies more on its small-scale, atmospheric and weathered production values, then Old Henry is a film that you should not miss. This was a mistake made by many when the movie was originally released during the Covid pandemic and for that reason vanished without a trace despite some incredible reviews. The synopsis for Old Henry reads:
“Old Henry is an action-Western about a widowed farmer and his son who warily take in a mysterious, injured man with a satchel of cash. When a posse of men claiming to be the law come for the money, the farmer must decide whom to trust. Defending against a siege of his homestead, he reveals a talent for gunslinging that surprises everyone, calling his true identity into question.”
Led by a superior performance from Nelson, Old Henry also features accomplished appearances by Scott Haze, Trace Adkins, Stephen Dorff, and Gavin Lewis, and you would be hard-pressed to find a weak link in a very strong chain. In short, Old Henry is one of those movies that was buried during the pandemic that really should be allowed to dust itself down and gain the recognition it deserves.
‘Old Henry’ Is a Western That Deserves to Be Seen
Old Henry was reportedly made for a low budget of $1.5 million, which is hardly surprising given its lack of special effects and small cast, but when it was released in cinemas the film only made $50,000 and became one of many underperforming flops of the Covid era.
What made the box office bomb harder to take was that the film was one of the best reviewed of the year, scoring 94% from critics and 92% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Some called it the “greatest cowboy movie in decades,” while others hailed it as a “magnificent and riveting” movie with a “flawless, world-weary performance” from Nelson in the lead role.
Many people will say that they don’t make them like they used to, but clearly director Potsy Ponciroli didn’t get the memo. Old Henry is as classic a Western as any fan of the genre could want, and it managed to tell its story without relying on gimmicks, laying out a trail of repetitive tropes, or attempting to fill the screen with Taylor Sheridan-esque modernism.
Old Henry will be available on Paramount+ from September 5.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
