Reviews

Josh O’Connor has been on a prolific run of late – we’ve only just seen him in Wake Up Dead Man, The History of Sound and The Mastermind, and now he’s back on-screen in Rebuilding.

The British actor plays Colorado cowboy Dusty in this low-key neo-Western drama, which is set two months after he lost his home, his 200-acre farm and therefore his entire livelihood in a devastating wildfire.

Dusty moves into a government-run emergency trailer park and considers what to do next.

With no ranch, he has no money to rebuild and get back on his feet, so he considers moving to Montana to find farm work.

However, there is a big “but” stopping him from moving – his young daughter Callie-Rose (Lily LaTorre).

He thinks she doesn’t need him because she primarily lives with his ex-wife Ruby (Meghann Fahy), but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Rebuilding follows the stoic, solitary Dusty as he becomes more of a presence in Callie-Rose’s life, finds a new community with the others who lost their homes, including Mila (Kali Reis), and figures out how to start his life over.

It is a simple but poignant film about resilience in the face of hardship, not being afraid to let people in and ask for help, the importance of community and putting one foot in front of the other when times are tough.

Some people may find it too slow and quiet, as Dusty isn’t a massive talker and the plot isn’t super dramatic, but others will find Dusty’s story engrossing, timely and hopeful, and the final act will restore your faith in humanity at a time when it’s desperately needed.

O’Connor, in his second farmer/cowboy role after God’s Own Country, has a compelling presence as a man who has lost everything but keeps pretending he’s OK. His performance feels so authentic and natural, with a convincing regionally specific accent.

LaTorre is a revelation as his emotionally vulnerable daughter – who just wants to be part of his life – while Reis is a compassionate, helpful neighbour in his trailer park. Fahy and recent Oscar winner Amy Madigan have small but important roles as Dusty’s ex-wife and her mother.

Out of his four-film run across 2025 and 2026, Rebuilding is the best. As it’s a low-budget indie, it will probably slip under the radar, but this beautiful and emotionally impactful film is worth seeking out.

In cinemas from Friday 17th April

By Hannah Wales

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