ST. LOUIS — Films either divide, align or enliven you. Some are beloved in your mind immediately, and others work you over for a few days. There are also films that you admire more than you actually like or love. Justin Kurzel's "True Story of the Kelly Gang" falls into that latter category.
This is a punk rock concert depiction of an outlaw's history, cinematic guns blazing everywhere with an ambitious aesthetic and wide scope planted for its story. You have never seen Ned Kelly (played by George McKay of "1917" fame), the famous Australian outlaw who was labeled a bushranger, quite like this. Coming in at just over two hours, Kurzel's film is exhausting yet provides a realistic and sophisticated point of view for Kelly and his story.
This is a film that has a lived-in feel to it that isn't afraid to let its mind wander into weird places during its running time. Kelly wasn't just a young man wronged, but someone who felt like he was oppressed for his entire life and that his family name deserved better. At one point, he ran away from home in pursuit of finding out if he was more than a Kelly if he didn't actually know what that meant.
He carried a tumultuous relationship with his mother (the fiery Essie Davis), who wasn't afraid to hand out "favors" to the local army sergeant (Charlie Hunnam in a good turn) to keep her family safe. He feuded with a politician named Constable Fitzpatrick, played by an energetic Nicholas Hoult.
Ned found himself at odds with all of it, giving McKay a lot of range to create. While Sam Mendes' popular war film allowed him to take hold of the screen and run with it, "True History" allows him to own it. This is his finest performance yet, besting even the potent work put in with Viggo Mortensen in "Captain Fantastic," where he played the idealistic son of a man who kept his family completely off the grid. One could say Kelly shared a few things in common with both of those characters. He wanted to create his own family while making sure his real blood was safe.
Here's the thing. Remember Jesse James, the American outlaw that the movies also love? There were a couple of films made about him, including the Colin Farrell-starring "American Outlaws" and the Brad Pitt-starring "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." The former was more commercial and straight-forward dealing while the latter dove deeper into the cold, restricted psychological torment that waged inside James' soul. I preferred the Pitt version by a long stretch.
There is more than one Kelly film. Back in 2003, Greger Jordan directed "Ned Kelly," starring Heath Ledger as the titular outlaw. It was a straight-forward western action romp with little ambition outside of making its shiny stars, including Orlando Bloom, look dirty and real. Ledger did his best but was overshadowed by the role he played. You could place that film in the Farrell/James biopic and this Kurzel/Kelly retelling in the Pitt-led Andrew Dominik arena.
There are positives and negatives to be found in deep-dive biopics. You get the real sense of the character, or at least the version that screenwriter Shaun Grant pulled from Peter Carey's novel of which the film is based upon-but you also get a full serving of bleakness and long scenes of rumination. This film comes off like Terrence Malick directed the first part of it before passing out, and Werner Herzog took over. It's well made but not for everyone.
Kurzel does do a pair of things really well here: conjuring up some lively and authentic action scenes and pulling the best out of his cast. We've already talked about McKay, who goes there as Kelly, and Davis, who springs wicked work as the mother of Kelly, someone who lived a long time for the hardships she endured. There's also Russell Crowe in a small supporting role as Harry Power, a major influence in Ned's life. Full of life (and extra pounds), Crowe continues a quiet yet solid career upswing. You leave wanting more of him. Thomasin McKenzie also puts in a notable performance as the woman who nearly turns Ned's head.
The action throws you directly into the fray, shaking you almost as much as the camera. It's sudden, messy, and all-encompassing. I applauded the way that Kurzel didn't rely on it for plot movement or an engine for the film but when he did use it, the man goes all out. This is one of those films where you feel the carnage in your chest.
This film isn't easy to love, carrying more of an indie flair than a "please like me" favorable flag. It's a lot like its title character: intelligent, vengeful, impulsive, and 110% awake. I tip my hat to Kurzel for rightfully exploring Kelly's open sexuality, quieter moments, and eternal message. He digs into those bones as well as any other director could, just as he did with Michael Fassbender in "Macbeth." Maybe it's not how it really went but this being the free play zone of cinema, there are no rules.
"True History of the Kelly Gang" isn't perfect and isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it has purpose, ambition, and doesn't fake the man's tale. I admired it more than I liked it, but I do recommend it to those willing to go deeper than guns, horses, and battle cries.
