Cinephile № 863 “News of the World”

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Plot: “A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home.”

Review: Starring Tom Hanks as Captain Kidd and Helena Zengel as Johanna, “News of the World” is the story of a newsman, a lost girl, and a hope for a home. Taking place in pre-Reconstruction America in the aftermath of the Civil War on the plains of Texas, this movie does a pretty brilliant job of capturing the sense of loss faced by the south, as well as the wild lawlessness of the west.

It also tells a quiet and revealing story of a man who left home years ago to make a living telling townspeople the news of the world and a girl born of tragedy taken by the Kiowa Indians. Given a chance encounter, neither realizes the other is searching for some idea of home. This sort of thing can only be learned over the course of a journey. When Captain Kidd decides to return Johanna to a distant family living in west Texas, a date with revelation and danger is booked.

Over the course of their long and arduous journey, their safety is anything but assured. They encounter would-be traffickers, outlaws, treacherous roads, violent storms, and calamity…