A classic, but not an instant one more the stir-over-a-slow-flame kind. Saw it at a sneak preview in San Francisco last Thursday night. It is a cinematic equivalent of Slow Food: authentic, satisfying, and leaving you with a bigger picture of the world.
Many of my favorite films have a strong "sense of place" (apparently from comments at the preview I'm not alone). Open Range is ostensibly about a range war in the 1880's; our protagonists are "free-rangers" (G-d, I hope I remember that phrase right, otherwise I've made this film out to be about chickens!), nomadic cowboys who graze their herd and move along before wearing out the range. Kevin Costner gave post-screening interview; he stated that the best films are really about the relationships between men and women; and I think that people will watch Open Range more than once, to savor the development of those relationships.
Having come off of seeing Charley's Angels (my bad) and 28 Days Later (worth seeing), in the first 20 minutes of Open Range I found myself feeling restless, like, "um, when does the movie start?" But the beauty of Open Range drew me in, and it's still with me. The light changes over the mountains and grassy hills; wildflowers nod, water flows, cows do their bovine thing, mud has a life of its own; the cowboys speak tersely and communicate obliquely (but the dialog is a joy when it comes), with long intervals of action between talking. These men clearly go for months without seeing a town; they're dependent on each other, wary of the outside world, a little stir-crazy despite the wide open spaces because they can't afford to be away from each other too long. The plot grows more complex and slowly builds to a showdown between avaricious local landowners and the free-rangers.
There's a flawless sense of chemistry and developing relationship between the primary cast and supporting players. There's also enough danger and action to keep adrenaline junkies humming along happily. I'm not crazy about gunfights but the film's climax is chilling. Although there were some shots of the townsfolk scrambling for safety, the gunfight doesn't occur in a vacuum and isn't cartoonish. Of course there's the obligatory child-in-danger moment, but I especially liked the showdown's denouement, because the townspeople react with realistic shock and rage at their peaceful town's desecration. How would you comfort your 4-y/o daughter after a gunfighter bleeds to death on your front porch? So many movies put such an emphasis on violence, yet no one gets really HURT. In this movie, the violence hurts, and that feels right.
During the post-screening interview with Costner, he mentioned that (this is not an exact quote, just the gist) a Western is a formula and there are time-honored elements to that formula: the challenge is to honor the formula but not fall into cliché. I have an I obscure and useless talent: picking up on cues that inform later plot twists. Normally when I see a movie, I find myself nudging my husband (and sometimes whispering VERY QUIETLY): (don't worry, no spoilers here) i.e., "she dropped her earring... The kitten is toast... That nail gun has a future..." Well, the film did indeed provide cues, but the payoffs were fresh and interesting. I'll spare you further detail. During the interview, Costner did explicitly state that he HATES it when audiences talk during movies. I sort of hate it when OTHER people are talking but...If it's me talking, please remind me to shut up, I deserve it. Now for my pet peeve: don't bring your kids to R-rated movies. Really. Everyone benefits from your getting a sitter, ok?
As for the performances, Robert Duvall is dead-on. His character, Boss, is the spiritual twin of my father-in-law who was raised in Eastern Washington farm country. Costner is well-cast as a man who finds a dilemma that keeps growing more horns. His forte is solid, action-oriented yet thoughtful American men, and he's really at his best in this role. Annette Bening is amazing: a mature, gorgeous, adult, complex, intelligent *woman*. Comparing Bening's performance to her repellant characters in Bugsy and the Grifters, and the high- maintenance b!+(h in American Beauty, she reveals extraordinary talent, depth, and versatility. Costner mentioned that she was courageous enough not to wear makeup for the role, and indeed she looks radiant and lovely but REAL. She makes Goldie Hawn look like a 2-bit tart. (No offense, Goldie, but now that you're gonna be a grandma, it's ok if you back off on the Botox. Kissing those little fingers and toes will be so much easier if you can feel your lips.)
I'm rooting for Bening to get at least a Best Supporting Actress nomination. And yes, it's a great date movie.