Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Strange Way of Life is a gay romance between a sheriff and a rancher whose son is wanted for murder.
When Silva (Pedro Pascal) rides into town to visit an old friend, Jake (Ethan Hawke), he’s met with skepticism. Jake is a sheriff looking for Silva’s son, Joe (George Steane), who is wanted for murdering Jake’s brother’s wife. Since Jake hasn’t seen or heard from Silva since parting ways twenty-five years ago, it seems odd that he would show up at this time. And although Silva insists that he’s only there to visit, Jake doesn’t believe him.
That evening they have dinner and talk about the past and their brief romance. Jake isn’t receptive to the conversation, but Silva talks about it anyway. And after dinner, Jake holds Silva from behind and they go to bed together. The next day both men ride out to find Joe. For Silva, it’s to save him, while Jake wants to arrest him for murder.
Some Thoughts:
If given the time needed to flesh out the story, Strange Way of Life could have been good. It has all the marking of a Pedro Almodóvar film but none of the substance.
While both Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal are fine actors, they lack the heat necessary to make this short film work. Their love making is as interesting as licking a stamp.
The backstory between Silva and Jake is told during dinner conversation, then shown in flashback while each of them travels to find Joe. The time spent on this could have been used to tell us more about their relationship, which would give the story a bit more credibility.
Another problem is that there are so many questions that never get answered. How did Jake and Silva meet? Was it prior to their night of drunken sex? Why did they break up? Who is Joe’s mother, and how did Silva meet her? Was Silva ever married to Joe’s mother?
Once Silva and Jake reach their destination, there’s drama between Silva and his son, and a standoff at gunpoint between Silva, Joe, and Jake. Finally, the film begins to get interesting, and then it’s over.
The Final Verdict:
Strange Way of Life is a waste of talent and your time. It looks great, has an interesting premise, but ends before it begins.
