Painted Woman (2017)
Adapted from prolific western novelist Dusty Richard’s “Mustanger and the Lady,” 'Painted Woman' is the story of Julie Richards Julie is a woman of her time, passed from hand to hand in a web of abuse and prostitution, landing her at the feet of Kyle Allison. Allison, a wealthy powerbroker of the old west town of Goldfield, took young Julie into his home and made her his trophy. This life came with the gift of being taken care of and the cost of more abuse. As Julie’s time with Allison is coming to a dangerous close, Julie is given two chances of escape, with two very different men… The story of PAINTED WOMAN is two distinct chapters in Julie's life, with each chapter mirroring the other. Chapter one follows Julie meeting Frank. It is told mostly at night in the town of Goldfield. Chapter two follows the Mustanger. It takes place in the wilderness and is told mostly during the day.
Watch Trailer
Cast
Reviews
Don't listen to the negative reviews
There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
Mercy, as one who is considered by his friends, as a film buff, I just had to advise them of this movie. It is bad, bad, bad. All the female characters have new white teeth, something which would have been unheard of during the movie time period. All the dresses as well as the props, wagons etc. looked as though they just came out of a display case. I feel asleep both times I tried to watch this flick and all I can say is this, " if you are a male and over 50, you probably will see more of the back of your eyelids than you will see of your TV screen."Slow, Slow, Slow movie.
What if Michael Mann made a Western about female empowerment? Writer/director James Cotten brings a lush palette and a meditative, almost prayerful style to this drama/thriller about Julie, a woman looking for a second chance at life on the frontier. Wonderful performances from the entire cast, featuring Stef Dawson in a breakout role as Julie, David Thomas Jenkins, Kiowa Gordon, Matt Dallas and Robert Craighead as memorable Western villains, and a notable standout performance by a force-of-nature Laurel Harris.
This film is beautiful, a moving story about one woman's difficult journey. It is a film for all audiences. Each scene is gorgeous. Excellent performances and direction by James Cotten. I highly recommend!
Especially in the times we are living - when men are being called out for bad behavior- it is refreshing and meaningful to see a classic Western from the beleaguered woman's point of view. Clearly, life is not easy for any of these characters. There is struggle and darkness on all sides, but director James Cotten shows us a new, creative slant on a tried and true setting - while, at the same time giving the audience everything that has made this traditional American genre so popular. The scenery is spectacular, the acting harnesses true emotion that translate into all levels of sorrow, passion, anger, insecurity, zeal and redemption. In the end, there is a satisfying conclusion to a story that never sugar coats the long and often painful road to self discovery. Painted Woman is a film worth seeing more than once.