EAST OF WALL
(director/writer: Kate Beecroft; cinematographer: Austin Shelton; editor: Jennifer Vecchiarello; music: Lukas Frank/Daniel Meyer O’Keeffe; cast: Porshia Zimiga (Porshia Zimiga), Tabatha Zimiga (Tabatha Zimiga), Scoot McNairy (Rey Waters), Jennifer Ehle (Tracey), Jesse Thorson (Jesse), Chancey Ryder Witt (Ryder Witt), Clay Pateneaud (Clay), Leanna Shumper (Leanna), Brynn Darling (Brynn), Ryan Caraway (Wes); Runtime: 97; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Kate Beecroft, Lila Yacouth, Melanie Ramsayer, Shannon Moss; Low Road Films; 2025)
“Heartfelt semi-biographical docu-fiction drama that’s set near the Badlands of South Dakota.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Kate Beecroft in her directorial feature film debut is the writer-director of this heartfelt semi-biographical docu-fiction drama that’s set near the Badlands of South Dakota.
Tabatha Zimiga and her daughter Porshia Zimiga are real-life horse trainers in this engaging slice-of-life story, whereby Tabatha is considered to be a horse whisperer while the 20something Porshia is a champion rider.
The family is still grieving over the recent death of Tabatha’s husband John, Porshia’s stepfather, as their horses are selling low at auctions leaving them struggling financially to support themselves and their large extended family (two younger brothers and half a dozen kids taken in whose parents are either behind bars or unfit parents). We also learn that TiKTok and other social media outlets play a large part in their business, such as with advertising.
Seemingly saved from financial woes when Roy (Scoot McNairy, a professional actor), a rich rancher from Fort Worth, Texas, offers to buy Tabatha’s struggling three-thousand-acre farm. But as he wants to get personally involved in the ranch, the horse loving, heavily tattooed, independent-minded Tabatha, doesn’t bite at his generous offer.
The film aptly captures how being a rancher is a risky business even if you know your stuff about horses. It also realistically captures the down side of the cowboy scene.
The other professional actor besides McNairy is played by Jennifer Ehle, as Tabatha’s moonshine making, cussing mom.
The location photography by DP Austin Shelton is super, and the acting by the inexperienced cast of non-professionals, basically playing themselves, is good enough considering all factors. The film should receive flowers for giving voice to women as real-life cowpokes–a welcome change from the way your typical Hollywood films usually write women off in westerns. If the film has any faults, it’s that the script needs some pruning.
It played at the Sundance Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 2/12/2025 GRADE: B-
dennisschwartzreviews.com