By Mark Fields
Ink-Dark Period Spy Comedy Showcases Talents of Offbeat Actor John Malkovich
Director-writer Martin McDonagh, who transitioned to film from an extremely successful playwriting career, has gained much deserved acclaim for his absurdist, ink-dark movie comedies, including In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, and The Banshees of Inisherin. McDonagh, whose film projects attract accomplished actors and plentiful Academy Award nominations, returns to the screen with Wild Horse Nine, his offbeat humor and cynicism intact. And, this movie – featuring a pair of possibly rogue CIA agents in 1970s South America – provides a perfect showcase for the unconventional actor John Malkovich, who gives one of his best performances in a storied career.
Malkovich plays Chris, an aging CIA operative with health, memory, and attitude issues. Amidst the uncertainty of a newly elected leftist president in Chile, his long-time partner and friend Lee is trying to provide support and reassurance when the two are sent on an unclear mission (or is it a vacation?) to Easter Island by their antagonistic bureau chief (Steve Buscemi). Although there is plenty of plot remaining, as well as political intrigue and commentary, in the rest of Wild Horse Nine, this premise is really just a clever set-up for a poignant character study of these friends’ complicated professional and personal relationship.
Malkovich, who has struggled to find roles fitting for his eccentric personality and vocal cadences as well as his non-matinee idol looks, finds genuine resonance with the character of Chris and delivers a performance that is arhythmic but completely endearing. Sam Rockwell matches Malkovich in a less complex but still substantial role. Buscemi and actresses Mariana di Girolamo and Ailin Salas provide solid support.
McDonagh as director puts his faith in his own screenplay and keeps Wild Horse Nine straightforward and briskly paced. Like other earlier McDonagh films, the reward is in the taut, layered dialogue and the interplay of well-formed, absorbing characters.
Wild Horse Nine defies easy explanation, but if the viewer can surrender to its quirky nature, the payoff is immensely satisfying.
Official Trailer
