WEST OF HER encapsulates the exact kind of micro-budget filmmaking I like to see from first time directors. Caraway and Siepser are easily amongst the finest actors I’ve encountered in reviewing smaller independent films. It would be one thing if the two were so charismatic as individuals, but the fact that they possess such an obvious and likable chemistry is truly the film’s ultimate strength. WEST OF HER manages to distinguish itself from the usual indie romances with a subtle thematic twist, strong chemistry of characters, and a keen eye for cinematography.
MICHAEL STUHLMAN, Life at 24FPS
WEST OF HER unfolds like a dream. Ethan Warren’s graceful two-hander pairs a nervous loner with no human footprint with a mysterious woman on a unique journey. This is the classic American road film by way of Terrence Mallick. Warren’s dialogue spills out like puzzle pieces— references to empty promises, truth, and secrets, are casually spoken, only to double back carrying the various themes on their shoulders. The primal themes of emotional survival and the personalities we wear to insulate ourselves from regret and despair are not easily conveyed without bending toward convention. WEST OF HER will have none of that. It answers just about nothing, but casually directs you to find what you need in the margins.
DENNIS WILLIS (San Francisco Film Critics Circle), FlickNation
There are films that happen, on occasion, to which you find yourself simply surrendering. WEST OF HER is such a film. WEST OF HER has been appropriately described by some audiences and critics as Malick meets road flick, a description that only begins to hint at WEST OF HER’s stunningly picturesque lensing and a story that creates two compelling and fully realized characters who are destined to linger in your psyche long after the closing credits. If you're thinking this is some quirky, gimmicky film you should think again. WEST OF HER is a character-driven film, and a mesmerizingly beautiful one.
RICHARD PROPES (Indiana Film Journalists Association), The Independent Critic
WEST OF HER is a wonderful film that unfolds like a poem spoken in a whisper—it’s beautiful, it’s enchanting and it’s full of mystery. The American West is almost a character in and of itself. From North Dakota to the Grand Canyon, the backgrounds are breathtaking and Warren does a wonderful job of complimenting the characters’ emotions with the stunning imagery. WEST OF HER is a beautiful debut film that is both mysterious and enchanting.
CAINE GARDNER (Indiana Film Journalists Association), The Film Yap