The Dead Don’t Hurt

Welcome to the Viggo Mortensen show; a statement that thankfully bears more positivity than negativity. In his second feature as a director, the Academy Award-nominated actor takes yet another turn with an earnest Western story set in 1860s America, this time also writing, producing, composing and starring in the lead role.

Upon Holger Olsen’s (Mortensen) departure to join the Civil War, his stoic partner Vivienne Le Coudy (Vicky Krieps) finds herself in a predicament, left to fend for herself in a lawless society and navigate a territory governed by a dishonest mayor (Danny Huston) and his unethical associates. When Olsen finally returns from the war, both he and Vivienne are compelled to face the changes they have undergone and reconcile with one another, while also tackling the demons that have stained their past.

When the credits of a movie include the same name over and over again, it is often considered a narcissistic recipe for disaster, but not for Mortensen. The actor appears to be very specific about the movies he chooses to take part in, let alone his own projects, and The Dead Don’t Hurt is no different. Immersed in the beautifully scenic Midwest, it becomes clear almost instantly that this film is going to be more than just a self-obsessed passion project. The story starts somewhere near the end, and is built up with a series of flashbacks and flashforwards that slowly piece together relationships and the wider narrative, remaining followable and structured throughout. 

We observe a calamitous society trying to function normally while under the control of the kingpins of its seedy underbelly, but rising above all is a tender love story, embodied by Mortensen and Krieps, that is quiet and respectful. Mortensen is your traditional Western hero, instantly likeable as a man with honour and high morals, but it is Krieps that truly stands out. The Phantom Thread actor steals every scene she is in as the feisty Vivienne, a character that shows such tremendous resilience when faced with adversity.

A broad supporting cast fill the voids in this lawless world Mortensen has created, but like the flowers in their garden, it is Olsen and Vivienne’s relationship that blooms in our hearts, leaving the more violent moments in shadow. The movie is a slow burn, but there is method behind the pacing, placing emphasis on touching, character-driven drama over explosive chases on horseback, train robberies and gun-slinging outlaws. Realism is the key for Mortensen and The Dead Don’t Hurt is one of the most human Western stories we have seen in years. Even the accompanying score is solid. It seems there isn’t anything the man can’t do.

Guy Lambert

The Dead Don’t Hurt is released nationwide on 7^th June 2024.

Watch the trailer for The Dead Don’t Hurt here: