JEANNE’S REVIEW

If you’ve never been to the Badlands of South Dakota, it should become a priority. In her directorial debut, writer Kate Beecroft spent three years living on and off with Tabatha Zimiga and her raucous brood on a 3000 acre rundown ranch east of Wall, South Dakota, home of the famous tourist destination Wall Drug. EAST OF WALL, set against the stunning backdrop of the rugged Badlands, is a memorable film for many reasons.

Much like Chloé Zhao’s acclaimed 2017 film, THE RIDER, whose actors were all non-professionals, Beecroft has cast Tabatha, or Tabby, her strong-willed daughter, Porshia, and the rest of her family --- including her horses --- as themselves. Only Tabby’s mother, Tracey, and a Texas rancher named Roy, are played respectively by two very accomplished actors, Jennifer Ehle and Scoot McNairy.

But it is definitely Tabby’s story and despite having no formal training as an actor, she masters the screen like she does her wayward teens --- and horses. Life is not easy for this formidable horse woman. She rescues and resells horses, and money is always in short supply. Her relationship with Porshia is tenuous at best, as she blames Tabby for the death of John, who treated her like his daughter though he was not her biological father.

John taught Porshia how to ride --- and ride she does --- like the wind. It’s worth seeing EAST OF WALL just to watch her gallop across the open plains at breakneck speed while Tabby films her for TikTok videos. They use the videos to sell horses, as well as attending sale barns, where Porshia and a couple of the other girls who live with Tabby show off their acrobatic skills while exhibiting Tabby’s exceptionally trained horses.

This is all a labor of love for Tabby and her clan. They take in horses no one else wants --- the wild ones, the untrainable, the unfortunate ones destined for kill pens. And then Tabby works her magic.

In the case of a blue roan, Roy demands that the horse be tied up all night to teach him a lesson. Tabby takes umbrage with that command, sets him loose and then works feverishly to get him ready for sale. She --- and her amazing talents --- will not be denied.

Ehle plays Tracey, a moonshine-making, chain-smoking mother and grandmother with realistic fervor. She became so close to Tabby and her family that Stetson, Tabby’s three-year-old son, started calling her “Fake Grandma”. And the real Tracey does have a cameo in one scene where the older women are celebrating Tabby’s birthday sitting around in a circle at night drinking beer and telling stories --- very sad and heartbreaking stories.

McNairy plays a fictional character, a wealthy rancher from Texas who arrives on the scene offering to buy Tabby’s ranch for a great deal of money --- a sum never spoken aloud. Tabby and her extended family would stay on and run the ranch, but her money problems would officially be over. It’s a tempting offer, but will this headstrong horse whisperer accept?

Not only has Beecroft crafted a heartfelt screenplay about this remarkable family, she has also given voice to women in roles originally dominated by men. Tabby’s determination to keep not only her children, but the children of others, safe --- and teach them the skills of all things horse-related --- is incredibly inspiring.

As I was watching EAST OF WALL, I was struck by the beauty surrounding these children. Director of photography Austin Shelton highlights the gorgeous vistas at every opportunity, all while showcasing the devoted relationships each of these kids has with their own horse. Riding them, swimming with them, lying on their backs gazing at the sky --- it’s all there in Beecroft’s amazing film.

Opinion: Strong See It Now!

           DAVID’S REVIEW

EAST OF WALL is a slice-of-life film about a real family most people will never experience. It is a fascinating story of how one widowed rancher manages to feed all the mouths who live on her ranch in South Dakota.

Tabatha (Tabby) Zimiga (her real name) sells horses at local sale barns and auctions, and even on TikTok, in order to survive. A wealthy rancher from Ft. Worth bids way up on one of her horses. He soon visits her on the ranch with his monster horse trailer in tow. Roy (Scoot McNairy) offers Tabby and her extended family a large but  unspoken sum of money to purchase her ranch and its 3000 acres.

The story of Tabby, her real-life daughter Porshia, and the rest of the mostly teen-aged inhabitants on the ranch is really about human dynamics and how they interact with each other and especially with their horses. Tabby tells Roy that “we finally figured it out”---- and you’ll have to watch this excellent film to learn what that means.

In EAST OF WALL, Tabby and Porshia make their professional acting debuts --- you wouldn’t know it from their deft performances. McNairy is somewhat of an enigma as Roy --- we’re never sure whether to love him or be suspicious of him, but his performance is genuine. And Jennifer Ehle, who plays Tabby’s mother, shines as the hard-drinking, chain-smoking Tracey.

Of special mention is the gravesite scene where a small group of mourners pay tribute to Tabby’s late husband, John. This scene illuminates how well liked he was, but it also foreshadows a later scene with only the adult women.

They meet to celebrate Tabby’s birthday at the ranch’s fire pit to drink, converse and tell stories which provide some hilarity --- for a while. But it quickly evolves into a serious soul-searching of the women, culminating in Tabby’s tearful recall of how her beloved John died.

Written and directed by Kate Beecroft, EAST OF WALL is one of those rare small independent films that should not be overlooked. It wasn’t  overlooked at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival --- it won the prestigious Audience Award.

Opinion: Strong See It Now!