Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violence under the surface in powerful family drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
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Montana Story
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MONTANA STORY, Cal (Owen Teague) returns to his family's Montana ranch to see his father, who's in a coma with no chance of recovery, and to settle his affairs. Beloved family housekeeper Valentina (Kimberly Guerrero) is there, as is a nurse from Kenya known as "Ace" (Gilbert Owuor). Cal discovers that his father was in deep debt and starts trying to even things out by selling his late wife's car and getting rid of Mr. T, the 25-year-old family horse. Soon, Cal's half-sister Erin (Haley Lu Richardson) arrives. She had a bad falling out with the family seven years earlier and vanished, though she kept in touch with Valentina. Erin plans to leave as quickly as possible until she learns about Mr. T and decides to stay until she can find a way to bring the horse to New York with her. Over the next few days, the dark family secrets that caused Erin to run away in the first place begin simmering to the surface.
Is It Any Good?
A beautiful, uncommonly quiet, tender movie, this family drama skips hysterics and theatrics in favor of thoughtful contemplation and gradual reveals, even if it sometimes does get a bit too soft. Veteran directing team David Siegel and Scott McGehee return for the first time since their unsung, nuanced What Maisie Knew for another deeply felt, character-driven piece. Montana Story immediately sets up its characters as smart, caring people who have a palpable longstanding history, both good and bad. When Erin storms through with her barely controlled anger, we might wonder why Cal doesn't respond to it, but he has his reasons.
The siblings are also at odds with their professions. Cal is an engineer who can appreciate the beauty in a carved-out gold mine, while Erin is a farm-to-table cook who has a special relationship with animals. This divide comes into play during a crucial scene in which the power goes out and their father's life support fails; Erin is left in the room with her flesh and blood, while Cal tries to fire up a generator, and everything changes. Montana Story isn't without its flaws: Ace's portrayal as a noble dispenser of wisdom feels stereotypical (even if his wisdom is appreciated), and the conventional score and too many soft songs jar the otherwise delicate mood. Silence would have been far more effective. Nevertheless, this is a powerful movie, both emotional and visual.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Montana Story's violence. What did the movie show or not show? Should it have shown more, or was the dialogue effective enough?
Do you think Cal was right to make the decision regarding his father? Why, or why not?
How does the story show the importance of communication?
Did you notice positive representation in the film? Do women and characters of color have agency? Why does representation in the media matter?
How is smoking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 13, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : July 12, 2022
- Cast : Haley Lu Richardson , Owen Teague , Kimberly Guerrero
- Directors : Scott McGehee , David Siegel
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Bleecker Street
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Animals
- Character Strengths : Communication
- Run time : 114 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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