seagarsmoker
02-01-2004, 01:12 PM
Open Range (2003) cast - Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening and Michael Jeter.
If you liked Tombstone and Unforgiven, this movie should suit you just fine.
The lead role in this western actually belongs to Kevin Costner, who plays Spearman's trail partner and employee, Charlie Waite. Boss (Duvall) is a cattleman that practices free-range grazing, i.e. driving his herd from place to place, only staying long enough for the animals to deplete the available food supply. But it's 1882, ranchers are beginning to fence in the West, and freegrazers are an endangered species. So, its no surprise when Charlie and Boss are ordered to take their beeves and get out of Dodge, so to speak, by big time rancher Baxter (Michael Gambon), who also owns the local town and its sheriff. Waite and Spearman are soon backed into a corner when the latter's two other hired hands, Mose (Abraham Benrubi) and Button (Diego Luna), run seriously afoul of Baxter's thugs. Annette Bening plays Charlies love interest with presence, beauty, and intelligence.
It would be hard to choose between the better performance - Costner or Duvall. Nor Bening who is simply perfect for this part as a supporting actress.
The first 75 minutes of this movie is very slow. It's called "character and plot development", much like Unforgiven. However, once the big shoot-out takes place, you'll be fastened to your chair in perhaps the best one ever filmed.
My only complaint lies with the editing, which left in one too many leave-takings between Charlie and Sue, the last being completely superfluous. In other words - unromantic energy from Costner. However, this is a five-star tribute to loyalty, rugged individualism, integrity, and simply doing what's right. I think, sometimes, that Hollywood has forgotten what those qualities are all about.
The picture quality is outstanding. The sound mix sounded a tad flat and was difficult to hear in stereo but was excllent in 5.1 DTS. It's a great cast and a very enjoyable movie.
I'll give it a solid thumbs up and hopefully after you watch it, you'll agree.
If you liked Tombstone and Unforgiven, this movie should suit you just fine.
The lead role in this western actually belongs to Kevin Costner, who plays Spearman's trail partner and employee, Charlie Waite. Boss (Duvall) is a cattleman that practices free-range grazing, i.e. driving his herd from place to place, only staying long enough for the animals to deplete the available food supply. But it's 1882, ranchers are beginning to fence in the West, and freegrazers are an endangered species. So, its no surprise when Charlie and Boss are ordered to take their beeves and get out of Dodge, so to speak, by big time rancher Baxter (Michael Gambon), who also owns the local town and its sheriff. Waite and Spearman are soon backed into a corner when the latter's two other hired hands, Mose (Abraham Benrubi) and Button (Diego Luna), run seriously afoul of Baxter's thugs. Annette Bening plays Charlies love interest with presence, beauty, and intelligence.
It would be hard to choose between the better performance - Costner or Duvall. Nor Bening who is simply perfect for this part as a supporting actress.
The first 75 minutes of this movie is very slow. It's called "character and plot development", much like Unforgiven. However, once the big shoot-out takes place, you'll be fastened to your chair in perhaps the best one ever filmed.
My only complaint lies with the editing, which left in one too many leave-takings between Charlie and Sue, the last being completely superfluous. In other words - unromantic energy from Costner. However, this is a five-star tribute to loyalty, rugged individualism, integrity, and simply doing what's right. I think, sometimes, that Hollywood has forgotten what those qualities are all about.
The picture quality is outstanding. The sound mix sounded a tad flat and was difficult to hear in stereo but was excllent in 5.1 DTS. It's a great cast and a very enjoyable movie.
I'll give it a solid thumbs up and hopefully after you watch it, you'll agree.