Animals in Prisons ... a good idea? I would say yes - and there are apparently studies that confirm that it helps those incarcerated. Horses are symbols of freedom so this is not even a subtle attempt that is being conveyed to the viewer. But one that is very well done.

Robert Redford produced this and I reckon it is just another reminder of how (socially) active he is. Yes he is not just a good looking boy (he'll be forever young, no matter his current age),but one that uses his fame and his power to do something good. And I would say if at least some people watching this realize the potential - the good it can do to have programs like this in prisons ... it hopefully will help in the long run.

Now while that all may sound nice and dandy, there is also a lot grittiness, a lot of violence ... it is a prison after all. So do not be surprised if this does not hold back punches .. or stabs for that matter. The ending .. almost poetic though! Could not have been a better one ... and then the text about different states and statistics.

It's not surprising that the hand of Robert Redford as executive producer might have been present to guide the filming of this story. His 1998 picture "The Horse Whisperer", in which he starred and directed, was an earlier showcase that demonstrated the power of healing inherent in the close relationship that can be fostered between a man and his horse. This story takes place at Nevada's Ely State Prison, where convict Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts) is serving a twenty year sentence for murder due to his hostile temper. An illuminating scene in the story takes place during the therapy session with a handful of other convicted murderers, who tell their story and how a mere few thoughtless seconds resulted in years of imprisonment.

Both Roman and his 'therapy' horse start out as incorrigible. Actually, the horses in the story are not there as therapy animals, but as wild mustangs rounded up to be trained by members of the prison population singled out for the task. Following a twelve week cycle, the animals are then sold to police departments or other organizations that can utilize them for their newly acquired manageability. The sense of loss experienced by the trainers is visibly apparent in the case of Thomas Youngblood (Thomas Smittle),who's moved to tears when his horse T-Bird is sold at auction. The bond formed between man and horse can almost be compared to that of family, even after such a short period of time.

A side story regarding Roman Coleman's under age, pregnant daughter Martha (Gideon Adlon) seeking emancipation allows for a tentative look into his background and how he ended up in prison. Their strained relationship is rocky at first, but as Roman begins to learn more about himself by working with 'Marquis', he attains a level of perspective and patience that can be applied to human relationships. Though their final parting is somewhat ambiguous, Roman does gain some closure when he eventually receives a letter from his daughter with a picture of his grandson. It's a tender moment that could have been mawkishly sentimental if not for the assured guidance of first time film director, Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre.

First-time writer & director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre's feature-length film "The Mustang" is a tragedy that ends on a positive note. Sounds implausible, but you may disagree depending on your perspective. The last image in the film suggests something more than your usual man and horse story. This spartan, 97-minute indie film couldn't have gone mainstream because its protagonist, Roman Coleman (Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts of "Red Sparrow) amounts to more of a villain than a hero. With his shaved head and his biker's goatee, Coleman is an intimidating man of few words. This brawny loner is serving an 11-year sentence in the Northern Nevada Correctional Center for beating his wife's to within an inch of her life. Coleman slammed her head repeatedly against a sink in an uncontrollable rage of anger. She never recovered from this assault, and their daughter, Martha (Gideon Adlon of "Blockers"),grew up nursing her mother who is basically a vegetable. The mother cannot do anything as a result of the whipping. Clearly, Martha's parents needed anger management workshops. Everything we learn about their relationship points to their mutual immaturity. Now, Martha is really no better off since she is unwed and pregnant, and she isn't exactly sympathetic to her wife-beating father. The only reason she visits him in stir only is to get him to sign a release form so she can sell the house her grandmother left them.

Roman realizes now what he did the wrong. "I'm not good with people," he assures a prison psychologist (Connie Britton of "American Ultra") with little hope for the future. Sympathetic spectators may find this sufficient, but he isn't the kind of guy you would offer a ride to if he were hitch-hiking on the highway. Nevertheless, redemption isn't out of reach as Roman learns, despite the sentence that he received for domestic violence. While searching for a vocation in prison, Roman joins several convicts--who for no apparent reason--help a bad-tempered old horse wrangler, Myles (Bruce Dern of "The Cowboys"),who is stuck with a short span of time to domestic wild horses, and auction them off to various law-enforcement agencies, such as the Border Patrol and urban police departments. We learn early on in "The Mustang" that the Bureau of Land Management used helicopters to round up these wild horses on public lands in Utah.

Predictably, "The Mustang" focuses on the unruly relationship between Roman and his rebellious mustang. Incompatible accurately describes both man and horse. When Roman grows frustrated with trying to tame the mustang, the horse shows him who is boss. A classic "Cool Hand Luke" moment occurs about mid-point. Instead of the warden declaring a lack of communication, the horse asserts it when the animal knocks Roman on his butt. Finally, in desperation, since nothing else seems to succeed, Roman resorts to punching the horse with his fists. Metaphorically, this may have been comparable to what went amiss between Roman and his ill-fated wife. Myles has Roman barred from the program. At the same time, Clermont-Tonnerre develops the camaraderie between Roman and an African American wrangler.

If there is anything conventional about "The Mustang," it is the drug smuggling subplot with convicts stealing the horse tranquillizer Ketamine. This is the only instance where the traditional tropes of a 'big house' prison movie appears. Clermont-Tonnerre displays admirable restraint in her depiction of the subject matter. At no time does "The Mustang" degenerate into warm, feel-good sap. Neither does she fall back on syrupy clichés to make Roman a likeable hero. Nothing will whitewash Roman of his crime. Nevertheless, by the end of the film, Roman has grown somewhat in stature and become a better person that he was when we first met him. Frankly, grouchy old Bruce Dern still has what it takes to steal a movie, and his cantankerous performance adds depth to the straightforward narrative. Matthias Schoenaerts does more with less in his characterization. He lets his attitude, gestures, and looks supersede anything that he could verbalize. At no point, however, does Dern cross the line into self-parody. Mind you, despite that striking last image, "The Mustang" is a memorable, but bittersweet experience.