Mojave
Little actually happens in talky, violent thriller.
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Mojave
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Mojave is a thriller about two men trying to kill each other. The screenplay is full of "deep thoughts," but in the end, there's no real takeaway from this movie: The characters are deeply unlikable, barely anything happens, and no one learns anything. Things get violent; characters are shot and killed, with blood stains shown, and there's fighting with hands, blunt instruments, and knives. A man's naked bottom is shown briefly, and there are a couple of brief, minor sexual situations. Language is strong, with several uses of "f--k" and "s--t" (in various permutations). Characters drink and smoke cigarettes a lot, and it's implied that one character intends to commit suicide via substance; he purchases and drinks two full bottles of vodka. It's possible that that stars Oscar Isaac, Mark Wahlberg, and Garrett Hedlund could draw teens to the movie, but only mature viewers should tune in.
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What's the Story?
Tom (Garrett Hedlund) -- a famous, successful Hollywood creative type -- heads into the Mojave Desert with a couple bottles of booze, perhaps thinking of committing suicide. But before long, he meets another wanderer, Jack (Oscar Isaac). They talk, but Tom soon intuits that Jack isn't to be trusted. Then they fight, at which point Tom gets hold of Jack's rifle and departs. The next day, while hiding in a cave, Tom accidentally shoots a police officer, and Jack witnesses the accident. Back in civilization, Tom tries to hide the evidence, but Jack shows up, threatening to expose him. The men seem evenly matched, so there's only one thing left to do: go back into the Mojave for a showdown.
Is It Any Good?
This bizarre, quasi-existential neo-Western thriller is full of brainy chit-chat but doesn't actually offer any real ideas. The characters are so thin that the outcome of their conflict doesn't really matter. There's no one to root for. The second film directed by Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed), MOJAVE gets off to a bad start by introducing Tom, who's famous -- though we have no idea what he actually does (he may be an actor or an artist). He's wealthy, petulant, and deeply unlikable.
Isaac fares slightly better as the sociopath Jack, reveling in both the character's bad behavior and his crazy costume (long hair and bad teeth). Walton Goggins and Mark Wahlberg turn up, for no particular reason, in small roles as smarmy, sleazy Hollywood types. References to Shakespeare, Melville, Fitzgerald, and other greats are supposed to inspire deep thoughts but are only distracting. At least the movie includes a choice clip from Erich von Stroheim's Greed (1924).
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Mojave's violence. How much is shown, and how much is implied? How did it make you feel? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Why is the main character so unhappy if he's rich and famous? Is he any happier at the end of the story? What has he learned?
How is drinking depicted in the movie? When Tom goes to the desert to drink, what's implied?
What does the Mojave desert symbolize in the movie? What does Hollywood symbolize?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 22, 2016
- On DVD or streaming: April 5, 2016
- Cast: Garrett Hedlund, Oscar Isaac, Mark Wahlberg
- Director: William Monahan
- Studio: A24
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language and some violence
- Last updated: August 3, 2022
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