Movie fans can head west in 2024, as the western is having a moment on the big screen with a handful of movies, one of them being The Dead Don't Hurt from Viggo Mortensen. The acclaimed actor stars, writes and directs the 2024 new movie, which is a smaller, alternative entry to the blockbuster western from Kevin Costner, Horizon: An American Saga.
Mortensen is no stranger to the western, having starred in a number of movies in the genre, but is his first time directing one. He lined up a nice ensemble of actors to star alongside him and earned early buzz for the movie that made it one to lookout for.
With that in mind, here is everything you need to know about The Dead Don't Hurt.
How to watch The Dead Don't Hurt
The Dead Don't Hurt has finished its run in movie theaters in the US, though it is still playing in theaters in the UK. The movie is set to hit online viewing soon, find out more with our how to watch The Dead Don't Hurt post.
The Dead Don't Hurt cast
Mortensen leads the cast of The Dead Don't Hurt with Vicky Krieps. The two play US immigrants, Holger Olsen and Vivienne Le Coudy, in the 1860s who form a loving relationship.
While best known for playing Aragorn in Lord of the Rings, Mortensen is a three-time Oscar-nominated actor for Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic and Green Book. Two of his more recent movies have been Thirteen Lives and Crimes of the Future.
Krieps, meanwhile, received her breakout starring in the Paul Thomas Anderson movie Phantom Thread alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, and has since appeared in The Girl in the Spider's Web, the Das Boot TV series, Bergman Island, Old, Beckett and The Survivor.
Other notable members of The Dead Don't Hurt cast include Danny Huston (Yellowstone), Garret Dillahunt (Where the Crawdads Sing) and Solly McLeod (House of the Dragon).
The Dead Don't Hurt plot
With a script by Mortensen, here is the official synopsis for The Dead Don't Hurt:
"The Dead Don't Hurt is a story of star-crossed lovers on the western US frontier in the 1860s. Vivienne Le Coudy is a fiercely independent woman who embarks on a relationship with Danish immigrant Holger Olsen. After meeting Olsen in San Francisco, she agrees to travel with him to his home near the quiet town of Elk Flats, Nevada, where they start a life together. The outbreak of the Civil War separates them when Olsen makes a fateful decision to fight for the Union. This leaves Vivienne to fend for herself in a place controlled by corrupt Mayor Rudolph Schiller and his unscrupulous business partner, powerful rancher Alfred Jeffries. Alfred's violent, wayward son Weston aggressively pursues Vivienne, who is determined to resist his unwanted advances. When Olsen returns from the war, he and Vivienne must confront and make peace with the person each has become. Both a tragic love story and a nuanced depiction of the conflict between revenge and forgiveness, the film is a portrait of a passionate woman determined to stand up for herself in an unforgiving world dominated by ruthless men."
The Dead Don't Hurt trailer
Watch The Dead Don't Hurt trailer directly below:
The Dead Don't Hurt reviews
After initially premiering at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (and playing in a few festivals after that) The Dead Don't Hurt earned a good bit of buzz. But now that the movie has arrived, it is officially "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, with a positive score of 83%. The Playlist calls it a "picture rendered with grace, patience and artistry."
Viggo Mortensen directed movies
The Dead Don't Hurt is Mortensen's second directorial effort. His first came back in 2020 with the movie Falling, which he also wrote. If you're curious to watch Falling, it is available for free (with ads) on Tubi.
