What do some of the most notorious African-American outlaws have in common? They all have a new tale spun together by director/writer Jeymes Samuel in The Harder They Fall. An amazing cast brings these ruthless characters to the big screen and Netflix on November 3rd.
Before the movie even begins, audiences are warned that all the characters in the film are based on real people, their stories, however, bring them together in this new wild west. Our story begins with a look at the past of Nat Love, played by Jonathan Majors. Every good western starts with a little bit of revenge right?
We are quickly introduced to the outlaw gangs that make up the Rufus Buck Gang. Buck, played by a fearsome, nearly emotionless, Idris Elba, and his collection of equally heartless crew, “Treacherous” Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield), as they break him out of prison.
Nat Love isn’t riding alone though. The amazing Zazie Beetz plays his former love, Stagecoach Mary. Along with his right and left hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and fast drawing Jim Beckwourth (R.J. Cyler)—and a surprising adversary-turned-ally.
The story is fast-paced and pulls zero punches in this action-packed story. There were a few times I caught myself saying that the story was ruthless. There are twists and turns that audiences won’t be expecting.
A literal jack-of-trades, Jeymes Samuel directed, wrote, produced, and composed the film. He is joined by writers Samuel and Boaz Yakin, produced by Shawn Carter (Jay-Z), James Lassiter, and Lawrence Bender, and featuring a red hot soundtrack.
