APPALOOSA

Western

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Jeremy Irons: Randall Bragg, leader of an outlaw gang
Timothy Spall: Townsman Phil Olson
Ed Harris: Virgil Cole, one of two “guns-for-hire”
Viggo Mortensen: the other one, his long-time partner Everett Hitch
Renée Zellweger: Allison (Allie) French

REVIEW
Just one look at the cast and it will come as no surprise that there are stellar performances by virtually everyone.

Along the lines of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid it is rather slow paced with the emphasis on character development rather than a lot of fighting and shooting. At almost two hours for some it will be seen as a tad too long but I can’t recall any really dull moments.

There is uncompromising attention to period detail: the crinkled panes of glass, the house being constructed in timber framing style (and not today’s stick framing method using dimensional lumber), vintage style handcuffs, authentic period costumes sometime realistically frayed on the edges.

CLASSIFICATION
for some violence and language (which seems out of line as the violence is just the usual cowboy stuff and the language is only a half dozen swear words…PG would be more appropriate).

P.S.
It has been my experience that a movie with one person holding down more that 3 principal roles results in a lousy film. Ed Harris has four key positions (as leading man, Director, Producer and Writer) which only serves to prove there is an exception to every rule.