The concept of Kate Beecroft’s docufiction EAST OF WALL closely resembles Chloé Zhao’s The Rider and the film has some of the similar gorgeous and serene South Dakota scenery on display.
The non-professional cast of mostly family members is much larger and they do a fine job. They are more or less playing themselves, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy feat. Jennifer Ehle and Scoot McNairy insert their characters seamlessly into this real world.
It’s a sad, emotional story and clearly a labor of love for Beecroft who spent three years with the family. I wanted to like it more, but I had The Rider on my mind the whole time and it doesn’t quite reach the heights of that film.
