I didn't expect much when I tuned into this movie and was more than pleasantly surprised. I was expecting another modern indie Western shot in some Wild West theme park with stunt men pretending to be actors and a half-baked script.
Outlaws and Angels blew me away. The psychosexual dynamics of the screenplay stretch the Western genre until it bursts apart at the seams. This is not a family film. It's not Shane, although it is something of a morality play, with several characters getting their just due at the end of a gun. There is plenty of violence and sexual content. Although the seedier bits are handled with care, prudes and squeamish viewers are advised to skip this one.
The direction and editing are crisp and tight and the production values are excellent. Locations and costumes are authentic - there are no actresses with bleached hair and Maybelline blush and no cheap polyester duds on the dudes. The soundtrack is the most inventive in the genre since Ennio Morricone's signature work on spaghetti Westerns.
The cast is superb and matched perfectly with their characters. All the actors are totally believable and appealing, but Francesca Eastwood steals the show with her quirky beauty and nuanced performance.
If you like intense action thrillers like Sicario, check this one out. I can't wait to see what this director does next.
Outlaws and Angels blew me away. The psychosexual dynamics of the screenplay stretch the Western genre until it bursts apart at the seams. This is not a family film. It's not Shane, although it is something of a morality play, with several characters getting their just due at the end of a gun. There is plenty of violence and sexual content. Although the seedier bits are handled with care, prudes and squeamish viewers are advised to skip this one.
The direction and editing are crisp and tight and the production values are excellent. Locations and costumes are authentic - there are no actresses with bleached hair and Maybelline blush and no cheap polyester duds on the dudes. The soundtrack is the most inventive in the genre since Ennio Morricone's signature work on spaghetti Westerns.
The cast is superb and matched perfectly with their characters. All the actors are totally believable and appealing, but Francesca Eastwood steals the show with her quirky beauty and nuanced performance.
If you like intense action thrillers like Sicario, check this one out. I can't wait to see what this director does next.