Nearing the end of a career offers space for reflection. Looking back, there are accomplishments, regrets and lessons learned. Looking forward, there is a wealth of experience to rely upon when the rubber meets the road.
There’s an argument to be made that this is the case for John Malkovich and the character he plays in the hilarious and oddly moving movie “Wild Horse Nine.”
Malkovich plays Chris, a veteran CIA agent embedded with his partner Lee (Sam Rockwell) in Chile in 1973, at the height of the agency’s regime-change shenanigans in South America.
Chris is jaded, cynical and has lost more than a step when he and Lee make some time for a recreational getaway to Easter Island.
Chris and Lee are both a little obnoxious and abrasive, but seem to share a genuine affinity for each other as they take a break from destabilizing Chilean democracy.
Of course, since they are operatives for the CIA, the trip isn’t quite as simple as it seems, as secrets and hidden agendas start cropping up in unexpected ways.
“Wild Horse Nine” is written and directed by Martin McDonagh, whose previous movies like “In Bruges,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” should let you know that you are in for a quippy, offbeat and emotionally fraught time. This is his most complete film.
Malkovich and Rockwell have tremendous chemistry, and their banter against the stunning backdrop of Easter Island is the heart and soul of this movie.
It’s Malkovich’s performance, though, that will really stay with you. No actor has ever been as simultaneously sweet and sinister as Malkovich. His bemused look could mean he wants to give you a warm hug or that he’s trying to decide which artery would be best to jam a knife into.
McDonagh’s dialogue really lets him cook, as Malkovich can be equal parts vile, hilarious and heartbreaking all in the course of a single scene. And both Chris and Malkovich prove that even though they are a little over the hill, they have the skill to be incredibly formidable when the chips are down.
Malkovich is headed for a surefire Best Actor Oscar nomination and don’t be surprised to see him walk off with the trophy for a worthy performance that would also double as a lifetime achievement award.
Sometimes you don’t have to teach an old dog new tricks. Sometimes you just give that old dog the space to do the tricks he’s really good at and then stand back and enjoy the show.
“Wild Horse Nine” is rated R for pervasive language, some strong violence, drug use and sexual references.
