East of Wall Parent Guide

Tabatha Zimiga (playing herself) has a big decision to make. Recently widowed, with four kids of her own and a trailerful of teens she’s unofficially fostering, Tabatha is in desperate need of cash. The kids need food, shoes, therapy and time to compete in rodeos and Tabatha’s primary source of income is the sale of the horses she raises and trains on the ranch. She sells them at the local auction market and online via TikTok, but the horses aren’t bringing in the kind of money they’re worth.

Then she encounters Roy Waters (Scoot McNairy). After buying one of the horses and being dazzled by the horsemanship of Tabatha’s daughter, Porshia (also playing herself), Roy has a proposition. He wants to buy all 3000 acres of Tabatha’s ranch and give her a cut of the profits from the sale of the horses she will continue to raise. The money from the land sale would provide financial security for the Zimigas, but will Tabatha be able to sell the land and surrender even part of her independence?

East of Wall is an unusual film, one that director Katie Beecroft describes as a docu-drama inspired by a visit to South Dakota that led to a multi-year stay with Tabatha’s family. The film is lovingly anchored to place with sweeping shots of the open prairie and the Badlands. Most of the family members are also played by themselves, which definitely adds to the movie’s authenticity. Unfortunately, what the film lacks is clear direction. The narrative wanders about, focusing first on Tabatha’s financial problems, then on Porshia’s riding, then on Jesse’s (Jesse Thorson) quest to have Tabatha legally appointed as his guardian, then on the regrets and life lessons of Tracey (Jennifer Ehle as Tabatha’s profane, moonshine-distilling mother), before finally landing on the death of Tabatha’s husband as the emotional center of the story. The characters are well drawn and the acting is good, but the story lacks the structure to support the film, which feels aimless and interminable, despite its short runtime.

Also disappointing is the show’s negative content. In addition to four dozen sexual expletives, the movie also features frequent scenes of adults drinking alcohol (including moonshine) and smoking cigarettes – even sharing a cigarette with a teen. There is little on-screen violence but there are several stomach-churning descriptions of suicide that could be disturbing for some viewers.

My chief emotion after watching East of Wall is frustration. Tabatha Zimiga’s life would have made an interesting documentary. The striking locations and talented cast could have boosted a solid script. But, instead, this is a film that can’t decide what it wants to be. It’s neither fish nor fowl; neither documentary nor feature; it’s just a messy muddle – and that’s no fun to watch.

About author

Kirsten Hawkes

Kirsten Hawkes has a BA in Political Science and English and has worked in international development and medical education and marketing. Kirsten enjoys reading, watching movies, and debating politics with her husband and sometimes unwilling children.