Montana Story

Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, Montana Story follows estranged siblings Cal (Owen Teague) and Erin (Haley Lu Richardson) as they reunite at their family’s ranch after their father falls gravely ill. Filmmaker McGehee and Siegel, working from their own screenplay, deliver a lackadaisical drama that benefits substantially from its beautiful, breathtaking visuals and stirring performances, with, in terms of the latter, both Teague and Richardson elevating the proceedings on a recurring basis with their compelling, subtle efforts. It is, as a result, disappointing to note that Montana Story is rarely as captivating or engrossing as McGehee and Siegel have undoubtedly intended, as the movie, which runs a palpably overlong 113 minutes, suffers from an erratic, hit-and-miss feel that’s particularly evident within the arms-length opening stretch (ie there’s a lack of context that makes it difficult to sympathize with Erin’s obvious hatred for her father). The inclusion of a fairly spellbinding sequence wherein Cal explains the family tension to an outsider does, however, provide the proceedings with some much-needed backstory and subsequently paves the way for a watchable, entertaining midsection (albeit one riddled with needless interludes, including one detailing Erin’s efforts at killing a chicken for a family meal), while the very sweet and satisfying finale ensures that the whole thing finishes on an agreeably positive note – which ultimately cements Montana Story‘s place as an exceedingly earnest endeavor that’s rarely as engaging as its top-notch performances.

**1/2 out of ****