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Epoch Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Rust': Alec Baldwin's Ill-Fated Western
NR | 2h 19m | Western | 2025 'Rust' is the movie you've been hearing about since Oct. 21, 2021, due to the on-set woes of star-producer Alec Baldwin. In a tragic accident, Baldwin unwittingly shot dead his cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. As if that wasn't bad enough, Joel Souza, director and co-screenwriter, caught a bullet in the shoulder. Production came to crashing halt; lawsuits, settlements, and trials came to a boil, then subsided after Baldwin was acquitted. As the hoary showbiz motto goes—"the show must go on.' Filming picked up where it left off. Harland Rust (Alec Baldwin) is a feared outlaw, in "Rust." Falling Forward Films 'Rust' It must be said at the outset—this is a gorgeous movie. Ironically, the cinematography is sublime; the panoramas are sweeping and stunning. Unfortunately, the powerful visuals are sometimes undercut by an orchestral double-bass string section that tries so hard to sound ominous, it tips over slightly into comedy. Harland Rust (Alec Baldwin) and his grandson Lucas (Patrick Scott McDermott) run from the law, in "Rust." Falling Forward Films That might not have mattered if the film's hero had a rumbling, Sam Elliot basso profundo, or a Clint Eastwood snakeskin rasp to match the geography, but Alec Baldwin's tenor, still carrying traces of his native Long Island, New York, isn't the primeval voice needed for a traditional western. Especially if the dialogue is attempting realism in Wild West period-speak. Baldwin is one of the premiere actors of his generation, but even the best can be miscast. That said, he looks the part, and 'Rust,' while chock full of western clichés, is quite watchable. Story The focus of the film, and main star, is Lucas (Patrick Scott McDermott), who looks between 13 and 15 years old. On his own after his parents died, he's left with a house, some land, and the raising and defending of his little brother. Evelyn Basset, his great aunt (Frances Fisher), checks in on him once when he's killed a man who was intent on forcing him into slave labor; he's been sentenced to hang. Powerless against the law, she also abandons Lucas. Evelyn Basset (Frances Fisher) comes to check on her great nephew in jail, in "Rust." Falling Forward Films Eventually, the grandfather Lucas never knew he had shows up and busts his grandson out of jail. Granddaddy is Harland Rust (Baldwin), a world-weary outlaw with a reputation for thieving and killing (generally people who needed killing). Lucas is rightly terrified of this mysterious stranger, but that doesn't stop him from mouthing off in ways that are far too modern for the wild, wild west. Lucas (protesting profusely all the while) flees with his grandfather to New Mexico territory to escape his execution. As the two travel together and share adventures, Rust turns out to be not so bad. Lawman Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins), a man tortured by the ill health of his own child and his inability to save his son, is in hot pursuit of the runaways. When a sizeable bounty is placed on Rust and Lucas, others join the manhunt, lead among them the evil preacher-turned-bounty-hunter Fenton Lang (Travis Fimmel). Related Stories 2/5/2022 3/19/2021 Style Over Substance A crowd scene in "Rust." Falling Forward Films The screenplay by Baldwin is more or less Kevin Costner lite and the faux western-speak isn't nearly as inventive and expletive-strewn as 'Deadwood.' But it's got all the classic western tropes: homesteading, hog-raising, hard-living, horseback-riding, hangings, high-noon saloon punch-outs and shoot-outs, men getting horse-dragged, local ladies of ill repute, men with faces carved out of old pemmican, and the occasional Native American, of both the American and Mexican strains. The film is long and slow, never boring, but not a standout in the genre. Whether any viewer can watch 'Rust' without being conscious of Halyna Hutchins' senseless and tragic death is another story. All involved claim to have finished 'Rust' to honor Hutchins's memory. One wonders if that was a good idea, but at least Hutchins gets her memorial. She would have been a Hollywood hot commodity after the cinematography on display in 'Rust.' Promotional poster for "Rust." Falling Forward Films 'Rust' was released in theaters on May 2, 2025. 'Rust' Director: Joel Souza Starring: Alec Baldwin, Josh Hopkins, Travis Fimmel, Frances Fisher, Patrick Scott McDermott MPAA Rating: Not Rated Running Time: 2 hours, 19 minutes Release Date: May 2, 2025 Rating: 3 stars out of 5 Would you like to see other kinds of arts and culture articles? Please email us your story ideas or feedback at
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Rust', Western With A Tragic Past, Honors Work Of Slain Cinematographer, Proceeds Will Go To Her Family
, the indie western with a tragic backstory, is now out at at some 115 theaters through Falling Forward Films, as well as on PVOD. The release comes well over three years since the film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed by a bullet from Alec Baldwin's gun on the New Mexico film set. An on-again-off-again involuntary manslaughter criminal case against the producer and star was put to rest last December. Multiple civil suits related to the shooting remain in the courts in California and New Mexico. A jury found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer for the production, guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the October, 2021 incident and she was sentenced to 16 months in prison. More from Deadline 'Rust' Review: Tragedy Hit The Set But Now Alec Baldwin's Western Hits The Screen – What's The Verdict? 'Last Take: Rust And The Story Of Halyna' Trailer & Premiere Date For Hulu Documentary 'Thunderbolts*' Looks To Create Lightning And Fire Up Summer Box Office With $175M Global Opening - Preview Amid all that, the movie itself has taken a back seat, until now. Deadline's review calls the release 'bittersweet' but notes 'the exceptional cinematography of Hutchins, as well as Bianca Cline, who came in to film the remaining scenes.' Honoring Hutchins work is a key reason the film is being released, says Falling Forward Films CEO and founder Scott Kennedy. 'I just loved it,' he said. 'We were able to get some theaters to go along with us because so much of the money is being given to Halyna's family, and her work is so amazing.' The family supported the release. Funds will go mainly to Hutchins' young son. Kennedy said there have been some early screenings, including one for cast and crew last night at the Laemmle Town Center in Encino. A director's statement added at the end of Rust offers a message about the film, and about Hutchins' work. Nicolas Cage-starrring thriller by Lorcan Finnegan opens on 879 screens. Premiered out of competition at Cannes (Deadline review here) to a big ovation and played SXSW. Distributor Roadside Attractions held a Q&A with the actor at the AMC Grove in LA on Wednesday that was beamed live to participating theaters after an advance screening. Roadside is said to be looking at an $1-$2 million opening weekend in a crowded market. Cage, as per the synopsis, plays a man who returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son. But his desire to hit the waves is thwarted by a group of locals whose mantra is 'don't live here, don't surf here.' Humiliated and angry, is drawn into a conflict that keeps rising in concert with the punishing heat of the summer and pushes him to his breaking point. from Greenwich Entertainment, written and directed by Durga Chew-Bose, opens on 200+ screens. This new adaptation of Françoise Sagan's coming-of-age novella by the same title stars Chloe Sevigny, Claes Bang, Lily McInerny, Nailia Harzoune, Aliocha Schneider. Premiered at TIFF, see Deadline review. At the height of summer, 18-year-old Cécile (McInerny) is languishing by the French seaside with her handsome father, Raymond (Bang), and his girlfriend, Elsa (Harzoune), when the arrival of her late mother's friend, Anne (Sevigny), changes everything. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Cécile's world is threatened and, desperate to regain control, she sets in motion a plan to drive Anne away with tragic consequences. Weekend Q&As with the director and Lily McInerny at IFC Center. from Oscilloscope Labs by director Joel Potrykus (Ape, Buzzard, Relaxer) opens at the IFC Center with director Q&As. Adds Laemmle Noho in LA next weekend. Two friends trudge through a Michigan forest with the intention of following through on a disturbing pact. Once their plan goes shockingly awry, the surreal and haunting consequences of their failure can't stay hidden for long. Premiered at Tribeca Festival last year with a Special Jury Mention for Performance in a U.S. Feature for Joshua Burge. Also stars, Joel Potrykus. Bill Vincent, Solo Potrykus, Melissa Blanchard. This is the fourth collaboration by the indie director with Oscilloscope, whose website features The Potrykus Collection –posters, t-shirts, a DVD pack and limited edition VHS. (Los domingos mueren más personas) from Big World Pictures, written, directed by and starring Iair Said, opens at the Quad Cinema in NYC, adding Laemmle LA next weekend and expanding thereafter. World premiered at the Cannes Film Festival parallel ACID section. The queer Argentine dark comedy loosely based on Said's real-life experiences follows David, a young middle class Jewish man –corpulent, homosexual and afraid of flying – as he returns to Buenos Aires from Europe. He learns that his mother has decided to disconnect his father's respirator, the only thing that has kept him alive for years. David will oscillate between living in close quarters with his mother, alienated by the pain of the imminent loss of her husband, and a voracity to fill his existential anguish, occupying his hours learning to drive, seeking low-cost medical treatments, and trying to have sex with any man who shows him a little attention. Said is joined by Latin American stage and screen actor Rita Cortese (Wild Tales, Herencia), Argentine singer Juliana Gattas and Pablo Larrain favorite Antonia Zegers (The Club, The Punishment). MORE Best of Deadline Brad Pitt's Apple 'F1' Movie: Everything We Know So Far Everything We Know About 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 So Far 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Alec Baldwin's ‘Rust' Quietly Opens In Theaters Tomorrow—Years After Fatal Shooting On Set
'Rust,' the Alec Baldwin-starring Western film that garnered attention in 2021 for an accidental on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, is finally getting a pared back release Friday after it was completed to honor Hutchins' final work, though some critics have labeled the film a difficult watch. "Rust" is opening in few theaters Friday. (Falling Forward Films via AP) 'Rust' opens in theaters Friday—but its rollout is notably limited, with zero showtimes in New York City and few in Los Angeles, typically the biggest markets for moviegoing, according to showtimes listed on Fandango. The film is also simultaneously being released for purchase on on demand services like Amazon Prime Video, according to The New York Times, which cited representatives for the film stating the distribution plan was created to maximize profits for Hutchins' family. The film's promotional cycle has been quiet, as the cast and crew have avoided giving press interviews, though director Joel Souza spoke with The Guardian earlier this week, stating he initially could not have imagined completing the film after Hutchins' death, but her 'family wanted it completed.' The movie, which first premiered at the Camerimage festival in Poland last year, a festival honoring achievement in cinematography, is dedicated to Hutchins and displays her name second in the credits after Souza, in both Ukrainian, to honor her family, and English. 'Rust' received mostly mixed to negative reviews from critics, with some questioning why the film was completed, though critics praised Hutchins' cinematography. The Guardian gave the movie a two-star review, calling it a 'tough slog,' stating it mostly serves to show 'how good Hutchins was at her job,' while criticizing the rest of the film as 'poorly acted and overly long.' The Daily Beast critic Nick Schager said there is 'no escaping reminders of Hutchins throughout Rust,' citing the abundance of guns in the film and characters expressing guilt for irreversible actions, as well as the 'impressive' cinematography. New York Times critic Manohla Dargis called the movie a 'deeply depressing coda to an appalling and entirely preventable tragedy,' stating the only justification for its release is that Hutchins' family will receive profits. In a more positive review, USA TODAY critic Brian Truitt said the film 'finds beauty amid tragedy,' crediting Hutchins and replacement cinematographer Bianca Cline, stating 'the overall cinematic life that 'Rust' conjures is exceptional.' Yes. Baldwin, whose involuntary manslaughter charges were dismissed in July after a judge said prosecutors withheld evidence, filed a lawsuit in New Mexico court in January alleging malicious prosecution and civil rights violations, claiming prosecutors in his case 'sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law.' Baldwin also faces several civil lawsuits brought by crew members and the Hutchins family. Three crew members sued Baldwin, accusing him of pulling the trigger of the live prop gun (which Baldwin has denied) and alleging they suffered injuries by being near the gun when it fired, citing the 'deafening' noise of the blast. The Hutchins family filed, and soon settled, a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin, before filing additional lawsuits alleging negligence. The Hutchins family said in March they intend to depose Baldwin on May 9 for their ongoing civil suit. 'It is long overdue for him to testify under oath about what really happened that caused the death,' Gloria Allred, a lawyer representing the Hutchins family, said in a statement. Hutchins was shot and killed at age 42 on Oct. 21, 2021, during production on 'Rust' when a prop gun discharged and struck Hutchins in the chest, also striking Souza in the shoulder. Baldwin was holding the gun while it discharged, and his attorneys have argued in court that he did not pull the trigger, though an FBI forensic report from the set found the gun could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled. Production was immediately suspended after Hutchins was killed, though filming eventually resumed in 2023 after Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter charge was first dropped (he was later indicted on the same charge before it was dropped again). Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armorer, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Hutchins' husband Matthew Hutchins was made executive producer on the resumed set, stating he wanted to 'pay tribute to Halyna's final work.' The decision to resume production attracted some controversy, and several anonymous crew members criticized the decision in interviews with Variety, with one stating: 'I absolutely would want nothing to do with it. It was traumatizing across the board.' Why the 'Rust' director finished the movie — and left out its tragic scene (The Washington Post) 'I wish I'd never written that damn movie': Rust director Joel Souza on finishing his film after the fatal on-set shooting (The Guardian) Alec Baldwin to Be Deposed in Lawsuit From Halyna Hutchins' Family Over 'Rust' Shooting (The Hollywood Reporter)
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Rust' Quietly Opening In Theaters After Fatal On-Set Shooting
'Rust,' the Alec Baldwin-starring Western film that garnered attention in 2021 for an accidental on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, is finally getting a pared back release Friday after it was completed to honor Hutchins' final work, though some critics have labeled the film a difficult watch. "Rust" is opening in few theaters Friday. (Falling Forward Films via AP) 'Rust' opens in theaters Friday—but its rollout is notably limited, with zero showtimes in New York City and few in Los Angeles, typically the biggest markets for moviegoing, according to showtimes listed on Fandango. The film is also simultaneously being released for purchase on on demand services like Amazon Prime Video, according to The New York Times, which cited representatives for the film stating the distribution plan was created to maximize profits for Hutchins' family. The film's promotional cycle has been quiet, as the cast and crew have avoided giving press interviews, though director Joel Souza spoke with The Guardian earlier this week, stating he initially could not have imagined completing the film after Hutchins' death, but her 'family wanted it completed.' The movie, which first premiered at the Camerimage festival in Poland last year, a festival honoring achievement in cinematography, is dedicated to Hutchins and displays her name second in the credits after Souza, in both Ukrainian, to honor her family, and English. 'Rust' received mostly mixed to negative reviews from critics, with some questioning why the film was completed, though critics praised Hutchins' cinematography. The Guardian gave the movie a two-star review, calling it a 'tough slog,' stating it mostly serves to show 'how good Hutchins was at her job,' while criticizing the rest of the film as 'poorly acted and overly long.' The Daily Beast critic Nick Schager said there is 'no escaping reminders of Hutchins throughout Rust,' citing the abundance of guns in the film and characters expressing guilt for irreversible actions, as well as the 'impressive' cinematography. New York Times critic Manohla Dargis called the movie a 'deeply depressing coda to an appalling and entirely preventable tragedy,' stating the only justification for its release is that Hutchins' family will receive profits. In a more positive review, USA TODAY critic Brian Truitt said the film 'finds beauty amid tragedy,' crediting Hutchins and replacement cinematographer Bianca Cline, stating 'the overall cinematic life that 'Rust' conjures is exceptional.' Yes. Baldwin, whose involuntary manslaughter charges were dismissed in July after a judge said prosecutors withheld evidence, filed a lawsuit in New Mexico court in January alleging malicious prosecution and civil rights violations, claiming prosecutors in his case 'sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law.' Baldwin also faces several civil lawsuits brought by crew members and the Hutchins family. Three crew members sued Baldwin, accusing him of pulling the trigger of the live prop gun (which Baldwin has denied) and alleging they suffered injuries by being near the gun when it fired, citing the 'deafening' noise of the blast. The Hutchins family filed, and soon settled, a wrongful death lawsuit against Baldwin, before filing additional lawsuits alleging negligence. The Hutchins family said in March they intend to depose Baldwin on May 9 for their ongoing civil suit. 'It is long overdue for him to testify under oath about what really happened that caused the death,' Gloria Allred, a lawyer representing the Hutchins family, said in a statement. Hutchins was shot and killed at age 42 on Oct. 21, 2021, during production on 'Rust' when a prop gun discharged and struck Hutchins in the chest, also striking Souza in the shoulder. Baldwin was holding the gun while it discharged, and his attorneys have argued in court that he did not pull the trigger, though an FBI forensic report from the set found the gun could not have been fired without the trigger being pulled. Production was immediately suspended after Hutchins was killed, though filming eventually resumed in 2023 after Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter charge was first dropped (he was later indicted on the same charge before it was dropped again). Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armorer, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Hutchins' husband Matthew Hutchins was made executive producer on the resumed set, stating he wanted to 'pay tribute to Halyna's final work.' The decision to resume production attracted some controversy, and several anonymous crew members criticized the decision in interviews with Variety, with one stating: 'I absolutely would want nothing to do with it. It was traumatizing across the board.' Why the 'Rust' director finished the movie — and left out its tragic scene (The Washington Post) 'I wish I'd never written that damn movie': Rust director Joel Souza on finishing his film after the fatal on-set shooting (The Guardian) Alec Baldwin to Be Deposed in Lawsuit From Halyna Hutchins' Family Over 'Rust' Shooting (The Hollywood Reporter)
BreakingNews.ie
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Alec Baldwin movie Rust ‘haunted' by shooting of cinematographer, critics say
Rust is 'haunted by death and scandal', critics have said as the Alec Baldwin movie is released following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Reviewers praised the cinematography of Ukrainian Hutchins, 42, but said her death, caused by a gun held by Baldwin, had cast a shadow over the film. Advertisement An involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin over the death of Hutchins, which occurred during a rehearsal on the set outside Santa Fe in October 2021, was dismissed by a judge in July 2024. Baldwin said he pulled back the hammer – but not the trigger – and the revolver fired, also wounding writer and director Joel Souza. Alec Baldwin, left, and Patrick Scott McDermott in a scene from Rust (Falling Forward Films/AP) The film arrives in some cinemas on Friday, and ahead of that the Washington Post said it is a 'generally compelling consideration of the costs of violence', as Baldwin plays notorious outlaw Harland Rust who breaks his grandson out of jail. The reviewer added the 'insight' in the 'savagely twisted moral landscape' of the old West 'lacks freshness' but is a reasonable movie. Advertisement 'Cobbling together ideas from other, better movies, Rust isn't original enough to be a must-see, but it didn't deserve to be cancelled because of an accident, either,' the review in the newspaper said. 'Mr Baldwin has been largely absent from the screen in recent years, and this effort is a reminder that, to use a word often applied to Harland Rust himself, he remains formidable.' The Hollywood Reporter said it is a 'competent but uninspired Western haunted by death and scandal', citing Hutchins's death. It added it is 'a no-frills Western, a classic story of cowboys and outlaws that revels in gorgeous scenery and the Puritanical moral dilemmas foundational to much of this nation's mythology'. Advertisement It also praised the cinematography of Hutchins and Bianca Cline, who took over the role. Alec Baldwin, pictured in 2008, stars in Rust (Ian West/PA) Variety also praised the filmmaking, saying it is 'a handsome and watchable indie art Western', but it criticised the plot, saying it 'lopes along more than it takes wing, and for no good reason it's two hours and 19 minutes long'. It added: 'Halyna Hutchins's dusk-and-sunset cinematography, abetted by the work of Bianca Cline, may be the best thing about Rust, the film has a moody sensuality to it. 'But as written and directed by Joel Souza, the tale the film is telling comes down to Rust and (Harland's grandson) Lucas stopping at one place and then another, never settling in long enough to have those places mean much; the posse will then show up at those same settings.' Advertisement Reviewers also criticised the depictions of native Americans, with Variety suggesting they were 'tokens' on screen, while the Hollywood Reporter said they 'border on painfully cliched'. Baldwin, known for supernatural movie Beetlejuice and comedy 30 Rock, has filed a lawsuit for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations against those involved in pursuing criminal charges against him over the death of Hutchins. Rust armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was sentenced to 18 months after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March following the death of Hutchins.
