The Western genre is often associated with its depictions of masculinity, not only exploring the salt-of-the-earth heterosexual cowboys but also those who struggle with their sexual identities. But whilst this is a trope often associated with the genre, Strange Way of Life depicts two men who don’t hide from their sexuality in a beautifully intimate short. Past regrets and current conflicts are portrayed in a visually striking and colourful film, capturing the desert location through more of a modern lens than perhaps its other Western counterparts.
The short begins with Pedro Pascal’s Silva riding back into the aptly named Bitter Creek, where Ethan Hawke’s Jake is now the Sheriff. The two men reunite and reminisce over past love and events, spending the night together after being apart for 25 years. But as the short progresses, it’s revealed that Silva hasn’t just returned to rekindle their love affair. In fact, Silva’s son Joe is wanted for the murder of Jake’s sister-in-law and thus, the central conflict of the short is set up - should Jake take the chance to bring in Silva’s son or should he take up one of his last chances of happiness and be with Silva?
it is poignant in its exploration of whether two men like Jake and Silva could ever have lived a domestic life together
The chemistry between Hawke and Pascal is palpable, with both actors portraying the passionate and erotic relationship between the two men in an almost overwhelming way. The camera lingers on their longing looks, with one particular standout moment including Hawke’s Jake telling Silva in a deep gravel voice to “stop looking at me like that”. It is in the dialogue and close-up shots that you get the strong sense of longing between the two, but their underlying motives clearly prevent them from reuniting in the way they want to. Hawke’s portrayal quickly demonstrates that Jake is not the type of person to look into the past, protecting himself at the expense of his true feelings. Pascal is more upfront in his performance, openly showing Silva’s regret that he and Jake did not fulfil the life they could have had together.
Ultimately, the portrayal of these two characters adds complexity to the script, which can sometimes feel somewhat stilted at points. However, this does not mean that the intimacy is in any way diminished, and it is poignant in its exploration of whether two men like Jake and Silva could ever have lived a domestic life together. Almodóvar paints the picture of two soulmates who can’t shake their pasts but do not necessarily want to confront their present. Although it sometimes feels like the first act of a longer feature-length film, Strange Way of Life is a profound look at the conflict between past love and duty to present ties.