Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie

Billie Morin This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

leplatypus BBT is member of my exclusive club of cinema jerks (that also includes Brad Pitt, Jamie Foxx, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow among others) and even if it was so painful, I'm totally happy to say that his movie is a total crap! Scenes after scenes, I waited the movie to wake up, to give a knee-jerk but it was flat as an horizon. There isn't any rhythm, no storytelling and even my sweet Penélope is unable to put fire as there's nothing to burn! Their passion is unbelievable, the prison break is dull as a nightmare. The stories are badly tied together and the dialog seems only to exist to avoid the mute movie. The Mexican landscapes aren't breathtaking. Casting the sluggish, too soft Damon was a sure kill also. The only good thing was to meet again Eliot (Henry Thomas) twenty years later, and he is still a terrific actor who was worthy of having the parts switched! Enough said

chartguy No, this did not have a "made for TV" movie ending. It did not tie everything up in a neat little package. It was a superb piece of film making. It felt real, and you cannot say that about many movies.There was a line in the movie, something like "it is not about whether it is right". The movie is all about the characters discovering that -- some would say "growing up". Everyone wants to stand up for what is right, all the time. The reality of life is that you have to pick your fights. I suspect those that did not like this film, did not want to hear that message.The photography was superb. Matt Damon looked like he grew up riding horses (I did). Yes, sometimes there was more Texas twang than others, but it was irrelevant. What mattered was that he made you believe his character. I do not think there was one weak portrayal in the whole film. The direction and all of the actors deserve credit for a real gem of a movie.

J B All the Pretty Horses had its entertaining moments with believable characters, but it failed to capture the book's nostalgic luster. For the most part, All the Pretty Horses followed the generally accepted rule that books are usually better than the movies that are made after them. While it at least followed the same general plot of the book, it also shortened nearly every major episode, which down played the depth and general tone of nearly every scene. Pivotal moments were built up to a crescendo in the book, whereas the movie tried to speed through John Grady's story in an limited amount of time. Sitting at just about 2 hours long, the movie could have(and should have) been made longer to give each epic moment some gravity. In my opinion Billy Bob Thorton may have gotten a better response if he had not punctuated the most dramatic, raw, and realistic moments that the story had to offer in order to keep the movie at a popular time length. However, it had a good western feel in relation to the scenery and landscape. The acting is good enough and does a decent job at character development. To someone who enjoys this genre and has not read the book, there is a good chance it will be enjoyed. This movie may not be entertaining to those who expect a realistic and rugged style of a western, such as McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. For others, the natural beauty and John Grady's character development makes All the Pretty Horses a memorable watch. Reading the book could make all the difference.I have enjoyed a lot more westerns than this one, a lot more, but I would also probably keep watching it if I came across it on T.V. Go ahead and give it a watch. 5.75/10

bkoganbing Just as Matt Damon was able to cast aside his New England accent for a Tennessee one in The Rainmaker and use it to great affect in Good Will Hunting, he cast aside again for the Texas tones needed for All The Pretty Horses. The man's got a good ear for speech idiom, he could be a worthy successor to Robert Mitchum in that department.From a novel by Cormac McCarthy and directed by Billy Bob Thornton who also has a good ear and feel for idiom and mores of the Southwest, All The Pretty Horses is about a couple of friends who go across the border into Mexico for work. Damon's been cheated out of a ranch he was expecting to inherit and he and friend Henry Thomas go south. They find both work and trouble and Damon finds romance. How they all intertwine is the story of All The Pretty Horses.Damon's romance is with Penelope Cruz, the daughter of Ruben Blades the owner of the ranch they find work on, breaking mustangs. The two come up against both Latino culture and Texas culture and how they really clash. Trouble starts for Damon and Thomas though when they pick up young runaway kid Lucius Black who's got some real issues with authority and a bad upbringing. His actions start the trouble for everyone involved.But Black in fact steals the film from the more well known stars. I'm surprised he wasn't considered Oscar material for Best Supporting Actor. His performances succeeds on so many levels as likable, goofy, but definitely trouble riding a horse.All The Pretty Horses is a good film where director Billy Bob Thornton does a great job with his cast and with capturing the mood and ambiance of that Rio Grande border country on both sides.