I thoroughly enjoyed this movie but I will say it's not for everyone. I would compare my experience watching it to the way I enjoyed sitting and listening to my grandpa tell old stories about his childhood and the war. It's a very specific way to consume a story because it's from the perspective of someone who lived it and includes all the subtle details that come with that, whether they add to the entertainment value or not. But those details are real and they help me feel what he felt and see what he saw. If a famous story-teller retells my grandpa's stories, he or she is going to add elements to them that help the stories appeal to the masses and make it easier for the masses to feel entertained along the way. For example, when it's night-time in this movie it is pitch black. Ever notice in most westerns it's light enough outside that you can see everything? That makes it easier for us to see what's happening but it's not how I would see things if I was actually there. There was no electricity! I want to see how difficult it is to have a shootout when you can't see anything because that's real.
I also found myself enthralled in the dynamic between the Sisters Brother, John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix, which is made even more interesting by their chosen profession as assassins. I enjoy a good cold-blooded assassin but I really enjoy a good cold-blooded assassin that is complicated by emotional baggage and attachment when he's not sending folks into the after-life. Two brothers arguing about who has the better horse or how one drinks too much, right after they put six bodies in the ground, adds depth and I need that in my main characters. That's the difference between sex and making love.
This movie is full of great performances. Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed knocked it out of the park as well. There were no holes in this movie as far as writing, performance and storyline is concerned.
That being said, there isn't as much action as I was hoping. This is strictly a personal thing with me but when I watch a western about two brothers that are paid assassins, I want a fair amount of violence. This has a bit, but I definitely wanted more. I also felt there was more room for humor in this film. But again, I'm very picky about such things. The dialogue was great but it stuck to a dramatic tone for the most part. I definitely remember at least three moments where I was hoping to be surprised by a big laugh that didn't come. This could be because I'm a comedian by trade or because I just expect these moments when you cast John C. Reilly as a main character, but either way this movie still delivered as a drama so it's fine.
I don't feel comfortable telling you to pay to see this movie in a theater or to pay $14.99 to download from Amazon like I did. However, the story and the relationships between the characters is unique, the performances are superb and the cinematography is second to none so, I highly recommend you watch it when it reaches Netflix or your cable/satellite provider.
I also found myself enthralled in the dynamic between the Sisters Brother, John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix, which is made even more interesting by their chosen profession as assassins. I enjoy a good cold-blooded assassin but I really enjoy a good cold-blooded assassin that is complicated by emotional baggage and attachment when he's not sending folks into the after-life. Two brothers arguing about who has the better horse or how one drinks too much, right after they put six bodies in the ground, adds depth and I need that in my main characters. That's the difference between sex and making love.
This movie is full of great performances. Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed knocked it out of the park as well. There were no holes in this movie as far as writing, performance and storyline is concerned.
That being said, there isn't as much action as I was hoping. This is strictly a personal thing with me but when I watch a western about two brothers that are paid assassins, I want a fair amount of violence. This has a bit, but I definitely wanted more. I also felt there was more room for humor in this film. But again, I'm very picky about such things. The dialogue was great but it stuck to a dramatic tone for the most part. I definitely remember at least three moments where I was hoping to be surprised by a big laugh that didn't come. This could be because I'm a comedian by trade or because I just expect these moments when you cast John C. Reilly as a main character, but either way this movie still delivered as a drama so it's fine.
I don't feel comfortable telling you to pay to see this movie in a theater or to pay $14.99 to download from Amazon like I did. However, the story and the relationships between the characters is unique, the performances are superb and the cinematography is second to none so, I highly recommend you watch it when it reaches Netflix or your cable/satellite provider.