Movies

Commentary: Unlike ‘The Baldwins,’ Halyna Hutchins documentary grapples with reality of ‘Rust’ shooting

BBG News

In the opening five minutes of the latest Hulu documentary titled “Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna,” its director, Rachel Mason, is seen standing amidst the vast expanse of the New Mexican sky, which appears a deep shade of cornflower blue.

Mason shared that they transported her by helicopter from this location, and tragically, she passed away in mid-air at that specific moment. As he went on talking, various pictures of Halyna Hutchins flashed across the screen – joyfully scootering around, trekking with her loved ones, galloping on the set of “Rust,” frolicking on the beach. He recalled the last time they met, they were hiking together with their children. Mason and Halyna were friends, both being filmmakers and mothers. Sadly, she arrived in Santa Fe but didn’t return.

The short clips resemble what you’d typically find at a memorial service, and that’s essentially what this movie was intended to emulate.

Following Halyna’s passing, Matt, her husband, requested that I create a movie about her life. However, I came to recognize that I couldn’t produce a film detailing her life unless I comprehended the circumstances surrounding her death.

The challenge lies in honoring Hutchins’ life without the circumstances of her death, particularly for commercial ventures, casting a shadow over it. Unfortunately, due to the tragic incident that occurred in October 2021, where she was fatally shot on the set of “Rust,” a low-budget western, by a live bullet round discharged from a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal for a scene, the world primarily remembers Hutchins as a cinematographer.

The tragic incident involving her death and the wounding of director Joel Souza from the same bullet made headlines for months due to its surprising nature. It’s expected that no live ammunition is near guns used in filmmaking to create cinematic tales, given the numerous individuals on set responsible for ensuring this safety rule. The circumstances leading to this event have been thoroughly examined by journalists, investigators, forensic experts, industry safety professionals, and various legal proceedings including criminal and civil court cases.

For individuals who had been keeping track of the reporting, particularly in The Times or elsewhere, “Last Take” may not offer fresh details. However, this documentary stands out with compelling, unseen footage and heartfelt interviews from cast and crew members, such as those wrapping up “Rust” after more than two years since Hutchins’ passing. This makes up for any lack of new information by providing a poignant context to the story.

The focus on Hutchins is particularly significant, even though, as Mason acknowledged during a recent showing, the movie may have been influenced to take a more dramatic turn by its financial backers. Nevertheless, Hutchins remains the primary figure in the film.

In the movie “Last Take,” no character can be labeled as a villain. Upon initial observation, it’s evident that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, now serving 18 months for involuntary manslaughter at age 24, should not have been entrusted with overseeing the film’s numerous weapons, especially while also managing props. David Halls, who is in the film and currently serves as an assistant director, was expected to verify the weapons; however, he seems remorseful, took a plea deal, and was convicted of careless use of a firearm. Alec Baldwin, who doesn’t appear in the movie, had his involuntary manslaughter charge dropped due to undisclosed evidence.

Hollywood Inc.

Approximately half a year following his acquittal on charges related to the “Rust” film set fatal shooting, actor Alec Baldwin has initiated a lawsuit claiming malicious prosecution and defamation against New Mexico’s district attorneys and police force.

However, Hutchins is indeed characterized as a hero in various conversations, with both friends and collaborators praising her as a passionate and dedicated filmmaker. Moreover, they frequently express deep emotions when discussing her kindness and commitment.

According to an initial report from The Times, prior to the shooting incident, some set crew members had left due to safety issues. Upon hearing this, Hutchins appeared shocked, as described by crew member Jonas Huerta (whose full name was not disclosed in the film). He quoted Hutchins saying, “It feels like I’m losing my closest friends.

As the team that was leaving presumed that their departure would lead to a pause in filming so that producers could handle the problems they had brought up, the shooting instead carried on; Hutchins was trying to manage under the circumstances when she was wounded.

In a trembling voice, Huerta expresses, “I learned that her screen wasn’t functioning properly.” Given the chance, I would have shielded her monitor from potential harm, as it has always been my duty to ensure her safety. Whenever danger loomed with the gun being aimed, my instinct was to safeguard that very monitor for her protection.

Hutchins suffered a tragic turn of events marked by poor choices, oversights, and an unresolved enigma: the presence of live ammunition on the set of “Rust.” “Last Take” serves as a poignant reminder of the loss we experienced in New Mexico that day: a vibrant actress with immense potential, a cherished mother, spouse, and companion, who had many more years and accomplishments yet to come.

Additionally, it serves as a counterpoint or even an opposite effect, if you will, to “The Baldwins,” the TLC reality series which debuted recently.

The series “The Baldwins” delves into the lives of Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, along with their seven children, beginning as Alec prepares for his court case last summer. In the aftermath of the shooting incident, and throughout the subsequent years, Alec has consistently maintained that he did not pull the trigger of the gun responsible for Hutchins’ death. Instead, he claims he was instructed by Hutchins herself to point the gun in order to align it properly for a camera shot.

A significant number of people, including Matthew (Hutchins’ widower), perceived Baldwin’s lack of admission of fault in Hutchins’ demise as both dishonest and inappropriate. Subsequently, Matthew and his son filed a lawsuit against Baldwin, securing an unspecified settlement approximately a year following the incident. In 2023, Hutchins’ parents and sibling also initiated legal action against the actor, the film’s producers, and Rust Movie Productions; lawyers representing the family informed the presiding judge that they intend to question Baldwin in May.

Television

On Sunday, TLC will debut a reality show featuring Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, offering a glimpse into their household while also addressing Alec’s ongoing manslaughter trial stemming from an incident on a movie set.

In the initial two episodes of “The Baldwins,” the focus primarily rests on Hilaria Baldwin, with minimal attention paid to other issues. Throughout these episodes, Hilaria shares her experiences about the impact the unmentioned incident has had on her, her spouse, and their family. Despite this challenging situation, Hilaria exhibits a relentless (she admits to having ADHD) pursuit of maintaining a sense of normalcy in their household, albeit it’s questionable how she believed a film crew would contribute to this goal.

As a film enthusiast, I found myself immersed in Baldwin’s world during the first two episodes, where he seemed to wander aimlessly around his expansive Hamptons abode, lost in thought. He made sporadic efforts to connect with his children, offered frequent compliments to his wife, and often broached the subject of his career’s downward spiral, all while seemingly on the brink of a potential prison term.

In the bustling Baldwin household, where seven kids under 12 reside, life carried on, amidst the prelude to the trial. Undoubtedly, Hilaria found herself juggling between supporting her husband and tending to her children. It’s a predicament one wouldn’t wish upon their greatest adversary.

It’s hard for me to comprehend why the Baldwins, or anyone for that matter, would believe that participating in a reality show could solve this issue. Especially puzzling is their choice to document the weeks preceding the trial on camera. Given that Hutchins is deceased and Alec is expressing concerns about lost work and being digitized for video games seems rather incongruous.

In the third installment, released on Sunday, there’s a bit of clarification provided, though it falls short on self-awareness. The episode starts with a quick recap of the shooting incident featuring images of Hutchins and Souza before the trial footage. After a visibly emotional Alec learns that the judge has dismissed the case definitively, we find out that because of an upcoming appeal (which later supported the initial verdict) and multiple ongoing civil lawsuits, he is barred from discussing the case further.

Hollywood Inc.

In the Baldwin involuntary manslaughter trial, the judge dropped the criminal charge following the revelation of a suspected attempt to hide pertinent evidence from view.

He can openly express his emotions, and they seem to indicate a cautious sense of relief and a strong desire to focus on raising his children. Hilaria acknowledges the obvious – that unlike Hutchins’ son, the Baldwin kids are fortunate to have both parents. However, if Alec seems content to live one day at a time, Hilaria is eager for them to move forward. She encourages her husband to join her in therapy, which unfortunately includes their TV crew as well.

It’s hard to imagine a more self-centered and possibly emotionally harmful act than for Baldwin to undergo therapy while it’s being recorded for a reality TV show. This is particularly ironic given that one of his initial concerns is the impact that leading such a public life has had on him.

Here’s a thought: Don’t do a reality show.

If Baldwin can’t disclose the true cause of his apparent distress, which stems from the incident where he accidentally fired a gun that killed Hutchins, then it seems unnecessary to continue discussing how his OCD connects with Hilaria’s ADHD. I find little interest in such discussions at this point.

Paying them and presenting it like a typical stressful parent reality show just heightens the impression that they’re using the situation for personal gain, creating an atmosphere of selfish exploitation.

In the realm of cinema, I found myself reflecting on Halyna Hutchins – a fellow film enthusiast who ventured to Santa Fe with aspirations of creating a masterpiece. Regrettably, she didn’t return from that journey.

That’s the reality. Maybe the Baldwins should take a break from filming and watch.

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2025-03-11 13:33

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