Pretentious drivel is about all one can say. Pity because moving Hardy west is an appealing idea but the performers, mood and conceits of the movie are anything but western. Comparisons with Altman's McCabe and Mrs. Miller are interesting but mostly serve to demonstrate that this is (sorry but it is the best description) still pretentious drivel. Perhaps some enterprising auteur can try this again with a different cast and director but again premised on the Mayor of Casterbridge doing his time in the nineteenth century west but this time without the European music and, one more time, pretentious drivel. I would have noted spoiler and mentioned the end but I could not make it through. Paging Julie Christie.