Rust is certainly one independently made movie that doesn’t need publicity.
The western starring Alec Baldwin, who also came up with the story and serves as a producer, was hit by tragedy during production in October 2021 when Baldwin’s prop gun discharged during a rehearsal, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and also injuring director/screenwriter Joel Souza. Production on the film immediately halted and finally resumed in April 2023. Legal cases involving Baldwin and armorer Hannah Guitierrez-Reed, both charged by the New Mexico D.A. with manslaughter, ended with Baldwin being acquitted and Guiterrez-Reed found guilty. The events of this tragedy made headlines around the globe and certainly raised doubt the film itself would ever see the light of day, much less be finished. In the end it was decided that to honor Hutchin’s final work the film would be completed, no profits would be shared by the original producers, and Hutchin’s widower Matthew Hutchins would come on as an Executive Producer with both he and his son receiving some profits from the film.
No movie, no matter how good, is worth the loss of a life, and so to see Rust finally on the screen is bittersweet, especially since it is the exceptional cinematography of Hutchins, as well Bianca Cline who came in to film the remaining scenes, that is perhaps the key strength of this traditional western meant to be in the mode of Clint Eastwood’s Oscar winning Unforgiven (even copying that film’s iconic poster design). It doesn’t reach those heights but Rust, though overlong at 139 minutes and in need of tightening, is a perfectly decent addition to the well worn genre that basically is found these days on television rather than the big screen. Yes, it is hard to watch and review a movie with this kind of tragic notoriety but this is the time to look at what is left behind and to hope the work of Halyna Hutchins is not forgotten.
Storywise it is 1880’s Wyoming where recently orphaned teen Lucas Hollister (Patrick Scott McDermott) is trying to take care of little brother Jacob (Easton Malcolm) at their primitive home located in the middle of the vast Wyoming landscape. It doesn’t go well even as he tries to be a man, unsuccessfully hunting a wolf, and getting into fights at the local general store with other local kids including one whose angry father attempts to confront Lucas before the owner intervenes. Unfortunately for Lucas yet another attempt at that wolf ends instead in the accidental killing of the aforementioned father riding by on his horse. Now, considering the incident in the store, it appears on the surface to look like it was intentional murder and Lucas is tossed in jail and sentenced after trial to hang. Things take a turn when the notorious Harland Rust (Baldwin), a man who has killed many, rides into town and breaks Lucas out of jail taking him on the run with him. We soon learn, as does a skeptical Lucas at first, that this is his grandfather and father of his late mother, a man he has never met or even aware existed.
From this point on the story switches to different southwestern states, Kansas, Colorado, back to Wyoming as other characters are introduced who will be a key part of efforts to track down Lucas. One is U.S. Marshal Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins) whose own son is gravely ill, something he tries to deal with even as he must keep law and order in town. Another is fearsome bounty hunter Fenton “Preacher” Lang (Travis Fimmel) who is bound and determined to pocket the $1000 bounty on Lucas’ head. Yet another is Miss Evelyn Bassett (Frances Fisher) who takes a key interest in the welfare of Lucas and what will become of his brother, and later is discovered to have secrets of her own that make this all very personal.
All these stories intersect with the treacherous and dangerous journey, much through Indian territory, Rust leads his grandson on to eventually hopefully find safety in New Mexico rather than be hanged for a tragic unintended killing (that aspect of an accidental shooting holds some irony considering the real life behind the scenes events of the making of Rust). Some of the side plots bog the film down and take away from the core of seeing Rust and Lucas staying one step ahead of those trailing them including a posse formed by Helm along the way, and an encounter with a widow and her son that pads Fimmel’s role.
Overall though Rust , with its themes of loss, regrets, and redemption does work, and much of the credit goes to sharp direction by Souza and the gorgeous photography of the American west by Hutchins and later Cline who followed her template and distinct color palette to the point where its visual style is seamless and quite stunning, even with the hommage to John Ford’s 1956 western classic The Searchers quite evident in a few set ups with the camera in a darkened room seeing a person looking out yonder on to the bright landscape. Ford’s iconic shot must be the most imitated in Hollywood history.
You can also see why Baldwin was inspired to make this film. It is a great role for him and he has one of his best film outings here. Hopkins is also quite good as the Marshal who must manage his incresing grief over his son in order to bring another young boy to justice. Fimmel digs into the more stereotypical gruff bounty hunter with relish, though the character itself is a western staple. Fisher only has a couple of scenes (shot before the film shut down) but delivers them nicely.
The film premiered appropriately at last Fall’s Camerimage festival honoring the art of cinematographers in Poland. At the end credits there is a dedication, “For Halyna…. ” followed by a quote from her: “What can we do to make this better?”
Title: Rust
Distributor: Falling Forward Films (theatrical); Ascending Media Group (VOD)
Release Date: May 2, 2025 (day and date theatrical and VOD)
Director: Joel Souza
Screenplay: Joel Souza; Story by Joel Souza and Alec Baldwin
Cast: Alec Baldwin, Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins, Travis Fimmel, Patrick Scott McDermott, Devon Werkheiser, Rhys Coiro, Xander Berkeley, Jake Busey, Abraham Benrubi, Travis Hammer, Nick Farnell, Sam Carson, Richard Gunn, Easton Malcolm
Running Time: 2 hours and 19 minutes
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