Stream it now The Cowboy Way 1994

 

A real funny Comedy about Two Cowboys in the City

Good movie. Given if you enter this movie expecting Marlon Brando, and Julia Roberts performing Shakespere, will walk away disappointed. So any fans of early Harrleson and Sutherland will find this movie entertaining. Worth a watch in every way, McDermont as a villian is a stretch, but one that he pulls off without a major flaw.

"Sonny Gilstrap" (Keifer Sutherland) and "Pepper Lewis" (Woody Harrelson) are longtime rodeo cowboys out of New Mexico. They have been friends since they rode bucking sheep at rodeos when they were children.

"Pepper" frequently gets in trouble, and "Sonny" always gets him out of trouble. But not after "Pepper" deserts "Sonny", who loses a chance at at winning some muxh needed money.

Some time later, "Sonny" comes to "Pepper's" house to ask for a loan to go search for his missing friend "Nacho" (Joaquin Martinez) in New York City. "Nacho" had gone to the "Big Apple" to meet up with his daughter, "Theresa" (Cara Buono), who was smuggled into the country by a man (Dylan McDermott), who demanded more money from him or he won't see his daughter, who had been working in a sweat shop.

"Pepper" lends "Sonny" the money, on the condition that he goes with him after being informed that "Sonny" hadn't heard from "Nacho" in some time.

Now, the two go to NYC to find their friend and his daughter while trying to fit into the big city.

There are some fairly good laughs in this film, but they are not through out the entire film. Harrelson with Sutherland as the straight man make a fairly good comedic duo, but they don't get enough laughs with what they were handed in the script. One running joke, which I think is the only running joke in the entire movie, is that "Pepper" is a bit dim-witted. Many of the jokes about "Pepper" will make you laugh, but you won't bust a gut on them. Other jokes are either chuckle worthy or fall flat.

One thing that you have to do with this movie is suspend disbelief. Even though they do come across a NYPD mounted officer (Ernie Hudson), who has visions of becoming a cowboy himself, they take the law into their own hands to save "Theresa" and the cop does little to stop them.

I also thought that the supporting characters in the movie were not really developed. We basically know what the lead villain "Stark" (McDermott) is about, but we are left hanging as to why he smuggles illegals into the country. We can only assume that he does it only for the money. We also aren't shown much of the relationship between "Nacho" and "Sonny" before "Nacho" goes to NYC to pay for his daughter's trip. We are left with dialogue to explain their relationship.

Harrelson is easily the comic here and has some funny scenes and lines, but he can't carry the laughs in this movie. Like I said earlier, many of the jokes produce some laughs or light chuckles, but many I didn't laugh at. I can't remember specific jokes, but the ones I did laugh at seemed to have been grouped together in the middle of the movie.

There are also some pretty good action scenes, and at least one car vs. horse chase in the busy streets. You can also tell that there are some stunt riders thanks to distant camera shots and the stunt doubles trying to hide their faces from the camera.

If you like Country music, then you will like the soundtrack to this film. A lot of songs are modern Country, with Travis Tritt, who does a cameo early in the movie, providing one song in the film.

Despite the fact that the laughs are few, Sutherland and Harrelson make a pretty good on screen duo and is one of the few things that make this movie watchable.

I'm beginning the rather lengthy task of entering into the database every film I have seen, at least those I have a decent memory of. Some may have the briefest of reviews while many will just have a number. Those films that I consider personal favorites and/or those that have some historical signficance I will add later when I have time for more lengthy reviews.

Cadillac Man
Director: Roger Donaldson
Stars: Robin Williams, Tim Robbins, Pamela Reed, Annabella Sciorra, Fran Drescher.
Synopsis: Comedy has it's moments but ultimately rus out of gas.

China Moon
Director: John Bailey
Stars: Ed Harris, Benicio Del Toro, Madeleine Stowe, Charles Dance, Patricia Healy.
Synopsis: Good performances can't save this erotic thriller's contrived plot.

The Cure
Director: Peter Horton
Stars: Brad Renfro, Joseph Mazzello and Bruce Davison.
Synopsis: Friendship between two boys, one battling AIDS, feels like a Made-For-Television movie.

The Cowboy Way
Director: Gregg Champion
Stars: Woody Harrelson, Kiefer Sutherland, Cara Buono, Dylan McDermott, Ernie Hudson.
Synopsis: Action comedy about Cowboys in New York City misfires in the worst way.

Chasers
Director: Dennis Hopper
Stars: Tom Berenger, William McNamara, Crispin Glover, Erika Eleniak, Gary Busey, Dean Stockwell, Frederic Forrest.
Synopsis: Don't chase this film.

Adventure/Comedy film about two Cowboys that travel to New York to find their missing friend Nacho who they suspect has been murdered in a coverup.

Not really much to say here... The two leading stars Woody and Kiefer provide some good Tommy Boy jokes and bickering, but the rest of the movie is forgettable and the storyline is extremely weak.

So after all these years I have finally seen Rambo. Why it took me this long, I can't explain. But it wasn't nearly as bad as I had always expected it to be. In fact it was quite good. The acting by Stallone wasn't too bad and it had some really interesting characters. Surprisingly the word I would use to describe Rambo is subtle. Well, except for the end of the movie when Rambo basically blows up half the town. What was unique, and what I don't think is done as much anymore is that it was filmed in Washington. Instead of being filmed in some city masquerading for another, you can clearly tell you're in the Pacific Northwest and it's beautiful.

So this year I've done a really good job of catching the documentaries that have came out. Murderball was probably one of the better documentaries I have seen. It was very in depth and what I think was great was that it didn't just focus on the people who play parapalegic rugby, but also their friends and family and how it has affected them and their injuries.

The Cowboy way was just something stupid I saw at Hollywood video. Just a typical buddy flick. Basically I would describe it as an American Crocodile Dundy Buddy flick. It had a couple funny moments but mostly was just pointless.

(* 1/2)

GOOD PREMISE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER. THE TWO STARS DO GIVE APPEALING PERFORMANCES, BUT THE STORY AND SCRIPT JUST DOESN'T WORK WELL.

The Cowboy Way: 5/10

.....