"You tell anyone I said this... and I'll have to kill you cause everyone knows I'm the toughest man in this town, but you... are one terrifying son of a bitch with them guns."
I just watched this film with my roommate...we both enjoy the film and quote it randomly...and then I read reviews by other critics and was shocked at their responses to this film. No, it's not a high-brow film...and it's not great, but it is entertaining and the key to that entertainment is realizing that this film doesn't take itself seriously and neither should you!!
American Outlaws is an updated version of the Jesse James story. The film opens at the end of the Civil War. Jesse (Farrell) and company have spent the last few years fighting against the Union army, but now that the war is over they want to return to their family farms. Their desire for a normal life is interrupted by the rail road company owned by Thaddeus Rains (Yulin). After refusing the railroads low price for the farm they are targeted by Rains' men resulting in the death of their mother. Jesse and friends (who I will discuss later) decide to take on Rains and the rail road and begin robbing local banks who hold the rail roads money, and adopt the moniker the James Younger Gang("The Younger-James gang is confusing. If we bust into a bank and yell "Hey we're the Younger-James gang", people'll be thinging the YOUNGER-James gang? Is there an older James gang?")
Jesse is the charismatic leader of the group: with a winning smile, two guns, and . His rival, and cousin, is Cole (Caan): who was an excellent soldier but doesn't always think before acting, believes he should be the leader of the group. Standing between the two is Jesse's brother Frank (Macht): the scene stealing, Shakespeare quoting, conscience of the group. Also in the gang are Cole's brothers: Bob (McCormack) the goofy one, and Jim (Smith) the wannabe, along with Comanche Tom (Nathaniel Arcand) their Indian friend ("Some Indian tracker you turned out to be, Tom." "You wanted me to find you Bluecoats and there they are."), Loni (Joe Stevens) the dumb one, and Clell (Ty O'Neal) the strong silent one. Jesse's softer side (and the less interesting part of the film) comes across in the presence of Zee (Larter) the love of his life who speaks her mind, shoots a gun, and is handy with a cannon. Kathy Bates plays Ma James who speaks to the Lord, "The Lord says we can bury outback in the orchard. No one will ever find him", although she only appears in a few scenes. Also noteworthy is Allan Pinkerton (Dalton...doing a Sean Connery impression) the detective hired to find and stop the James Younger Gang in any way possible.
No, it's not the best western ever....but modern audiences don't want to see a western, especially when they could see action films that use CGI and futuristic settings... I wouldn't even call this film a western...yes they do look like cowboys, but it's an action film that happens to take place in the west (with people who dress, talk, and act like cowboys). This film is NOT historically accurate, but if it can prompt a desire to learn more about Jesse James (at least for teen boys) then perhaps it's worth it.
Dude, it's quotable: yes parts are corny, but there are some interesting one-liners
Rent it once: For the guys there is Ali Larter and lots of gun slinging, and for the ladies there are some attractive men.....it didn't get a lot of hype when it came out and it has pretty much been forgotten, but if you're in the mood for a few laughs (even if it means laughing AT the film as a whole then go for it) then give it a try
American Outlaws is an updated version of the Jesse James story. The film opens at the end of the Civil War. Jesse (Farrell) and company have spent the last few years fighting against the Union army, but now that the war is over they want to return to their family farms. Their desire for a normal life is interrupted by the rail road company owned by Thaddeus Rains (Yulin). After refusing the railroads low price for the farm they are targeted by Rains' men resulting in the death of their mother. Jesse and friends (who I will discuss later) decide to take on Rains and the rail road and begin robbing local banks who hold the rail roads money, and adopt the moniker the James Younger Gang("The Younger-James gang is confusing. If we bust into a bank and yell "Hey we're the Younger-James gang", people'll be thinging the YOUNGER-James gang? Is there an older James gang?")
Jesse is the charismatic leader of the group: with a winning smile, two guns, and . His rival, and cousin, is Cole (Caan): who was an excellent soldier but doesn't always think before acting, believes he should be the leader of the group. Standing between the two is Jesse's brother Frank (Macht): the scene stealing, Shakespeare quoting, conscience of the group. Also in the gang are Cole's brothers: Bob (McCormack) the goofy one, and Jim (Smith) the wannabe, along with Comanche Tom (Nathaniel Arcand) their Indian friend ("Some Indian tracker you turned out to be, Tom." "You wanted me to find you Bluecoats and there they are."), Loni (Joe Stevens) the dumb one, and Clell (Ty O'Neal) the strong silent one. Jesse's softer side (and the less interesting part of the film) comes across in the presence of Zee (Larter) the love of his life who speaks her mind, shoots a gun, and is handy with a cannon. Kathy Bates plays Ma James who speaks to the Lord, "The Lord says we can bury outback in the orchard. No one will ever find him", although she only appears in a few scenes. Also noteworthy is Allan Pinkerton (Dalton...doing a Sean Connery impression) the detective hired to find and stop the James Younger Gang in any way possible.
No, it's not the best western ever....but modern audiences don't want to see a western, especially when they could see action films that use CGI and futuristic settings... I wouldn't even call this film a western...yes they do look like cowboys, but it's an action film that happens to take place in the west (with people who dress, talk, and act like cowboys). This film is NOT historically accurate, but if it can prompt a desire to learn more about Jesse James (at least for teen boys) then perhaps it's worth it.
Dude, it's quotable: yes parts are corny, but there are some interesting one-liners
Rent it once: For the guys there is Ali Larter and lots of gun slinging, and for the ladies there are some attractive men.....it didn't get a lot of hype when it came out and it has pretty much been forgotten, but if you're in the mood for a few laughs (even if it means laughing AT the film as a whole then go for it) then give it a try
Rating: PG-13 for western violence (gun fights, etc...)
Director: Les Mayfield
Starring: Colin Farrell as Jesse James
Scott Caan as Cole Younger
Ali Larter as Zee
Gabriel Macht as Frank James
Will McCormack as Bob Younger
Timothy Dalton as Allan Pinkerton
Harris Yulin as Thaddeus Rains
Gregory Smith as Jim Younger
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