When was the last time you watched a cowboy western with an all-Black cast? Exactly.
Luckily, Netflix just released “The Harder They Fall” at the beginning of this month and has earned its spot in the top viewing charts.
First, the cast. They couldn’t have had a better lineup: Jonathan Majors, LaKeith Stanfield, Regina King, Idris Elba, Zazie Beats, Delroy Lindo and so many more. Whoever casted the movie deserves an award within itself because I knew it was going to be good just based on the cast.
This film was beautifully shot, as well. The train scene was the most aesthetically pleasing part of the film but the effects and character interaction was spot on and made the movie that much more enjoyable. It still gave that western feeling but in a more modern and rugged way; not corny western like “Wild, Wild West,” sorry Will Smith.
The representation behind this film was also a plus as the characters in the film were based on real cowboys during that time. The first ever cowboys were Black but over time that history got glamorized and white-washed in Hollywood. So, to see an accurate depiction of Black cowboys in the media makes me more than happy.
And it’s not one of those movies that the film industry messes up on purpose because it’s an all-Black cast. The plot —oh my gosh, the plot twist towards the end!!— sequence, dialogue and characters were all on point and true to the country western setting of the movie.
Now, I can’t give too much away because this is not a spoiler alert but I will say that this movie was wonderfully put together and a must-see.