Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 50% of 108 critics' reviews are positive.The website's consensus reads: "On Swift Horses capitalizes on a steadfast cast while grappling with contemplatively rich themes of society, sexuality, and morality to a mostly astute end." [21] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 65 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [22]
Jourdain Searles of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film is "beautiful, heartbreaking, and demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Elordi gives his best performance yet as Julius, showing his more sensitive, vulnerable side on the big screen for perhaps the first time. His love scenes with Calva are tender and exciting...Calva proves his memorable turn in the underrated Babylon two years ago was just a warm-up. He's got so much more to offer." Regarding Edgar-Jones, Searles wrote that "in perhaps her meatiest role since Normal People , Edgar-Jones gives an understated performance as Muriel, letting us get to know her through subtle gestures and expressions." [23]
Christian Zilko of IndieWire gave the film a grade of A-, praising the writing, cinematography, and direction: "Bryce Kass's script (based on Shannon Pufahl's novel of the same name) straddles an ideal line between sentimentality and bitterness, while [director] Minahan and cinematographer Luc Montpellier shoot everything from torrid sex scenes to Christmas Eve moonlight strolls with the elegance that it deserves." [24]
Nicolas Rapold of the Financial Times wrote that "Minahan and his cast don't reduce Julius's or Muriel's affairs to a vehicle for prestige tragedy or steamy entertainment. Their experiences feel as if they might reflect any one of countless lives or loves constrained by social conformity and bias at the time. While glamour could dazzle on screens and red carpets at the festival, the handsome stars...are put in the service of something that at times can feel even rarer—ordinary emotional truths." [25]
Meanwhile, in a more dissenting review, Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood contends that too many plot developments are interwoven "throughout this disjointed movie, which can't seem to decide which thread to follow or which character to focus on, and so it does it all. Edgar-Jones also seems to have a tough time getting a real handle on just who Muriel is...Poulter is the poor lost soul in all this, and he could have been the antagonist...but he's really a good old boy. Elordi is becoming one of the most interesting actors around, especially after Saltburn and Euphoria have cemented his sex symbol bona fides. If they ever remake Hud , he's the guy. However, it is Calva, the discovery from Damien Chazelle's Babylon, who is the standout, an intriguing character to be sure. And Calva hits all the right notes—in and out of bed with Elordi. [Also] Montpellier's golden-hued cinematography really reflects California's allure of the times, and the film looks terrific." [26]
Germany's leading queer magazine wrote: "The two boys work nights at the casino and spend their days in bed together having sex in their fine ribs. Fans of soap operas will get their money's worth, as will Elordi fans. Everyone else can look forward to a satire of the unintentional kind." [27]
