A gold nugget! Brutal but beautiful, punchy but poignant. I went into this with no prior knowledge of Yellowstone or that this is a prequel, so I'm reviewing this as a standalone.
I was utterly blown away by it. It's for me one of those rare cinematic* experiences where everything came together to make a deep, beautiful piece of thought provoking art.
This delves into a simple story of a family moving, and to do this well requires nuances and a feeling of the emotions a father, mother or child has. This show feels like it is written by people who understand family, reality and loyalty.
The visuals and music are a masterpiece with wide vistas, and sad or uplifting symphonic track that pulls you into the experience.
What really made this for me was the story of Elsa, an 18 year old whom we experience the series from her point of view in a coming-of-age story arc. Her monologues summarise the beauty and brutality of the land and how it shapes her transition to womanhood.
The old Cap'n Shay sums it up when he observes that Elsa loves and lives a lifetime on her journey and as a viewer I was genuinely moved by her experiences and reflecting on the series by the end which was touching.
The acting performances are superb all the way through.