Name: Strange Way of Life
Genre: Drama, Western, Romance
Released: 2023-05-26T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Pedro Pascal, Jason Fernández, José Condessa, Daniel Rived

The desert sun beats down on Ethan Hawke‘s Jake as he strides through a dusty town square, his sheriff’s badge gleaming—this is Pedro Almodóvar‘s Strange Way of Life, a queer Western that swaps saloon brawls for simmering tension and lingering glances. It’s a bold reimagining of the genre, but one that stumbles under its own ambition.

At its core, Strange Way of Life is a story about longing and denial, wrapped in the trappings of a classic Western. After 25 years, Silva (Pedro Pascal) rides into town to see his old flame Jake (Hawke), now the sheriff. Their reunion is charged with unspoken history, their chemistry palpable even as Jake pushes Silva away. The film’s strength lies in its performances; Hawke and Pascal share an electric dynamic, their scenes together crackling with restrained desire and unresolved conflict. Pascal, in particular, brings a quiet intensity to Silva, making him both vulnerable and dangerous.

Almodóvar’s visual flair is on full display here. The desert landscapes are stark and beautiful, the colors rich and evocative. José Luis Alcaine’s cinematography captures the vastness of the setting, while Alberto Iglesias’ score adds a melancholic undercurrent that underscores the emotional weight of the story. The flashback sequence—where we see Jake and Silva’s first intimate encounter—is particularly striking, shot in a soft, dreamlike haze that contrasts sharply with the harsh reality of their present.

However, the film’s brevity works against it. At just over 30 minutes, Strange Way of Life feels rushed, as if Almodóvar couldn’t decide whether to focus on the romantic drama or the Western action. The narrative threads—Jake’s pursuit of a killer, Silva’s secret son, their shared past—are intriguing but underdeveloped. The film ends abruptly, leaving key questions unanswered and emotional beats unresolved. It’s a shame, because the story has potential that isn’t fully explored.

Moreover, the pacing is uneven. The first half of the film is deliberate, almost meditative, as it lingers on Jake and Silva’s reunion. But once the action kicks in—the chase, the shootout—it feels hurried, as if Almodóvar is trying to cram too much into too little time. The result is a whiplash-inducing shift in tone that disrupts the film’s emotional flow.

That said, Strange Way of Life is never less than visually stunning or emotionally engaging. It’s a bold experiment that pushes the boundaries of the Western genre, even if it doesn’t always succeed. Almodóvar’s queer sensibility infuses every frame, from the intimate scenes between Jake and Silva to the way he subverts traditional gender roles.

Ultimately, Strange Way of Life is a flawed but fascinating watch. It’s a film that takes risks, even if not all of them pay off. Hawke and Pascal are excellent, the visuals are gorgeous, and Almodóvar’s direction is full of inventive touches.