THE STORY – After the death of her husband, Tabatha — a young, tattooed, rebellious horse trainer — wrestles with financial insecurity and unresolved grief while providing refuge for a group of wayward teenagers on her broken-down ranch in the Badlands.
THE CAST – Tabatha Zimiga, Porshia Zimiga, Scoot McNairy & Jennifer Ehle
THE TEAM – Kate Beecroft (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 97 Minutes
Hiring non-professional actors is a trick filmmakers have used for decades. It’s a way for films to gain a sense of authenticity, especially when it takes place in an environment or industry that’s about as far-flung from Hollywood as possible. “East of Wall” goes one step further. Not only does Kate Beecroft’s gorgeous film employ performers who’ve spent their lives working the kinds of horse farms and rodeos depicted in the film, but many of them are playing versions of themselves. And Tabatha Zimiga, who gives a powerful lead performance, is essentially reenacting her life’s story, which the film borrows for its plot. Beecroft effectively blurs – and with the use of real-life footage, at times removes – the line between fictionalization and documentary.
Tabatha is a young widow who lives on her family’s ranch in South Dakota, along with her mother Tracey (Jennifer Ehle) and three kids: Porshia (also playing herself), Skylar (Wyatt Mansfield), and 3-year-old Stetson (Stetson Neumann). The ranch is also inhabited by a host of young horse riders who’ve been sent there by their parents, some of whom seem to have done so to abandon their children. Tabatha takes these kids in, rescuing them just like she does with her horses. They struggle to sell the newly-trained horses at auctions until one day, a stranger named Roy (Scoot McNairy), impressed by Porshia’s skills in the saddle, offers to buy the ranch and continue paying Tabatha and all who live on it. Tabatha must decide if she’s willing to give up control of her family’s inherited property for the promise of stability.
It’s a low-concept premise for a film, and at times, the pacing meanders in what seems like a search for a purpose. But Beecroft preoccupies screen time with stunning horse riding footage, some of which was filmed by the young riders for TikTok. And when Beecroft is the one behind the literal reins for sequences showing their riding skills, she frames the thrilling chases against the landscape’s beautiful, wide expanses, oftentimes in slow motion. These moments evoke the grand Westerns of Hollywood’s earlier years, showing that the real-life characters in Beecroft’s film live just as exciting, story-worthy lives as the fictional heroes of the Old West.
Zimiga is a striking screen presence. Not only does she capture the eye with her editorial haircut, dramatic eye makeup, and veritable gallery of tattoos, but she also has an energy that draws viewers in, inviting them to listen to and take part in her life’s story. It’s easy to see why the kids in both the film and real life are drawn to her; she’s fiercely protective and doesn’t suffer nonsense. Zimiga’s performance is similarly magnetic, with the toll of hardship imbuing her with a weight that would be difficult for an actor to replicate. Her daughter Porshia is just as compelling, offering up a slightly more outwardly emotional performance, which is appropriate for her age. Ehle is hardly recognizable as Tabatha’s mother, and although the talented actress embodies a jovial, sometimes off-putting quality, her practiced mannerisms occasionally don’t blend with the naturalism emanating from the other characters. McNairy is typically excellent, playing someone who could easily be portrayed as a figure of menace or cockiness. Still, he highlights the character’s empathy in a way that helps the narrative avoid cliches.
Similarly, the screenplay drops information about the Zimiga’s family history in a piecemeal fashion, replicating the feeling of organically picking up context clues about new acquaintances in conversation. In fact, the only moment that feels like Hollywood-style convenience is the ending, but thanks to the impactful story built up to that point, it’s a welcome, satisfying conclusion. “East of Wall” typifies the best abilities of independent filmmaking to capture the feeling, truthfulness, and very heart of a place and people not usually captured by the camera.
