A mother’s love can be the fiercest weapon of all, and “Jane Got a Gun” proves that at every turn.
The Gavin O’Connor-directed movie follows pioneer woman Jane Hammond, played by Oscar winner Natalie Portman, as she tries to protect her family from the wrath of the Bishop Boys gang.
Her husband Bill, played by Noah Emmerich, comes home full of bullets after doing battle with the gang’s leader, John, played by Ewan McGregor.
Jane must then turn to Dan Frost, played by Joel Edgerton, whose past is intertwined with Jane’s. The pair must come to grips with what has happened to them in order to ensure her family’s survival.
Jane must make sacrifices in order to protect her loved ones. At the beginning of the movie, she is forced to send her daughter Katie away to stay with a friend so that no harm comes to her.
She is also forced to sacrifice her pride by asking for Dan’s help.
“Jane Got a Gun” has wonderful use of flashback sequences that tell the audience just how Jane became the woman that she is.
Portman delivers a wonderful performance as Jane, showing the strength and resolve needed for the character.
While each scene she is a part of is a treat, the ones where Jane shows her maternal fury are truly a sight to behold. Her marksmanship is also wonderful, as she is ready to take out any and all villainous characters that dare to cross her path.
Edgerton is lovably grumpy as Dan Frost. You begin to feel for him as you learn more about his and Jane’s backstories.
He and Portman work well together to bring the story of Jane and Dan’s reconciliation of past hurts to the screen.
McGregor also gives an eerie performance as the villainous John Bishop, who will stop at nothing to make the Hammonds’ lives a living nightmare.
Other cast members include Rodrigo Santoro, Boyd Holbrook, Alex Manette, James Burnett and Sam Quinn as members of the Bishop Boys gang, who are responsible for all of the misery Jane and her family have endured.
Seeing the fierceness with which Jane strives to protect her family is an absolute delight, mainly because of the way the film celebrates it rather than degrades it. Jane is allowed to have her vulnerable moments worried for her daughter and fights the bad guys all at once.
The film also provides a nice change of pace in how Dan and Jane find some closure and put the past behind them.
Bear in mind that this movie is not for the faint of heart. Jane is made to go through some harrowing moments in flashbacks to her past that border on traumatic.
“Jane Got a Gun” is a masterfully spun tale of survival, resilience and a mother’s unstoppable love for her family. If you plan on going to see any movie over the weekend, this should be it.
Kelseigh Ingram
@KelseighIngram
