It's not a good start. The first scene raises a skeptical eyebrow as to the tenor of the picture, and the next few minutes don't change that reaction. It's not until we're about one-quarter in that this earns its first laugh - its only laugh - and we see a smidgen of earnestness underlying the proceedings. Therein lies the problem, though, and it's consistent throughout the length: in a title that takes on airs of comedy, drama, and romance, the sincerity is sorely missing from a vast preponderance of the length. Considering that the story very specifically revolves around mental illness, this lack of sincerity means too often that the attempted comedy either just falls flat, or worse, comes across as inappropriate; material that should be treated with all due sobriety is too often approached with a mind for comedy; and the comedic and romantic elements feel direly forced. There are very serious ideas and themes here that are all too relevant to real life, including and not limited to the lack of funding for mental health services, and the lack of services and resources for those struggling with mental illness and disability, especially as they endeavor to lead a normal life; the failure to recognize laws, social norms and etiquette, or basic boundaries and conceptions of what is or is not appropriate behavior, and what may come off as creepy or dangerous; toxic masculinity, toxic relationships, and possessiveness in male relationships, adjoined with the misogyny represented in efforts to control other men's romantic relationships (with women); the difficulties of untreated mental illness, possibly leading to dangerous and destructive criminal behavior and violence; and more. All this would make for a harsh drama that's hard to watch, but nevertheless firmly compelling. Yet it is very readily apparent that 'Some of our stallions' is also intended to be not a pure drama, but a comedy-drama. And so it falls.
The cast give fantastic performances across the board, from the boisterous, manic energy Carson Mell embodies as "kind of sort of mostly" protagonist Beautiful Bill, to the more varied, controlled, and nuanced performances of Al Di and Olivia Taylor Dudley as Andy and Bonnie, respectively. Mell illustrates fine technical capability as director, and his screenplay is stronger yet as a portrait of two men, best friends, who struggle with mental illness and with Andy's foray into a romantic relationship. The root narrative is stark and dreary, with substantial detail, and tremendous care obviously went into the scene writing, dialogue, and characters to make the tale as vivid, fiercely absorbing - and, frankly, just plain frightening - as it could be. Jason Chiu's cinematography is smart and thoughtful, and so long as they are employed mindfully and not bent toward embellishment, the same goes for the editing, and any visual and sound effects. The practical stunts and effects are infrequent, but come off well, and I appreciate the costume design, hair, and makeup. This boasts commendable production values, quite up to the standards of any contemporary fare.
Yet the fact remains that all that was necessary for this film to succeed was for writer, director, and star Mell to excise any measure of obvious intended humor from his vision. 'Some of our stallions' has only one actual issue that troubles it, but the tonal issue here is so significant that it severely dampens the value of the viewing experience. In the very least it comes across that the subject matter is being too lightly, and in some instances the outcome is worse yet. Emphasizing the point, in the last small stretch of the runtime it feels like Mell has at last struck the exact right note of honest storytelling as Beautiful Bill has a true "heart to heart" conversation with another character (after his own fashion). Elsewhere in in these ninety minutes we do get tastes of that authenticity, but they are fleeting, and paired with wry cheek that we're somehow supposed to find funny amidst a saga that is otherwise almost cringe-worthy for much of its duration. I really do appreciate the skill, intelligence, and hard work that everyone involved put into this; I see what is done well here - which is most things - and I wish nothing but the best for all. I also wish, however, that Mell had applied just a tiny bit more careful consideration into his direction, for what he conjured on paper is twisted into a would-be quasi-humorous form that is simply ill-fitting for the saga. I do sort of like this, but any recommendation is hard to make for the fact that it must necessarily be paired with the caveat of "but here's what it does very wrong." I'm glad for those who find it more meaningful, as is, than I do; I think 'Some of our stallions' needed more time to gestate.
