Ain't Them Bodies Saints - Film review
by Karen Pecota

The second feature from writer-director David Lowery Ain't Them Bodies Saints is a product developed at the Sundance Institute's Writing and Producing Labs. Lowery is not afraid of learning and being mentored. He is an alumni of the Berlinale Talent Campus and the Sundance Screenwriting Labs. Variety magazine named him as one of the top ten directors to watch for 2013.

IFC films, a leading U.S. distributor for quality talent-driven independent films based in New York, has acquired the U.S rights to the film. They are happy to partner with what they see as a fresh new voice in the film industry.

Synopsis:
Deep in the heart of Texas in the small town of Meridian lived two outlaws. The two were husband and wife--Bob Muldoon (Casey Affleck) and wife, Ruth Guthrie (Rooney Mara). Besides their wild and crazy schemes to run from the law and the love of that life, they were crazy about each other. The two had a run-in with the local authorities that put them both in jail. The local sheriff, Patrick Wheeler (Ben Foster) was wounded during the shoot-out. He's not sure who lamed him but blames Bob. Ruth is released earlier than Bob and gives birth to a little girl that becomes the center of her universe. With Bob still locked up, Patrick takes a fancy to Ruth and wants to provide for her and the child.

Running from the law seems to be less important to Ruth now that she has a child to care for, and Bob is not around. She loves who she is with Bob but realizes that her calling to be a mother to a little girl who needs her every day is her most important responsibility. Hiding her secrets wanes less attractive and more burdensome. She is tired. In conflict with the fact she did not choose to leave her old life behind but it was chosen for her, she misses Bob. Bob gets out of jail and is still looking for the pot at the end of the rainbow.

Lowery says of his modern western, "I want the audience to feel like they've just heard an old folk song after viewing Ain't Them Bodies Saints." He adds, "The whole movie is meant to feel like a song. An old American ballad. Timeless. Classic. Relevant."