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A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) Reviewed By Jay

United States, 04 April 2014

 

Jay´s Review

Seth MacFarland ("Ted") wrote, directed and starred in this VERY R-rated Western that sends up the genre, even though everyone plays it straight! From the first note of the classic Western score by Joel McNeely and the first breathtaking shot of Monument Valley, Utah by cinematographer Michael Barrett, I knew we were in for a gallop! Be prepared for a lewd, racist, raunchy, sexist, gross, clichéd, disgusting, scatological, 116 laugh-out-loud minutes. I can't begin to tell you all of the surprise guests; you wouldn't believe me anyway.

If you've seen "Ted" there are very few surprises. This movie is violent (someone is crushed to death), profane (it's Seth McFarland!), has gunfights (it's a Western), but not one bit of blowie uppie stuff. It veers wildly amid contemporary topical humor, in-crowd jokes and parodies of "real" westerns, ...all done with a tip of the Stetson, an unorthodox showdown, and a straight face.

This is the cast:

  • * Seth MacFarland ("Family Guy") is Albert, a straight-arrow sheep farmer in love with Louise, a big-eyed charmer, who is getting really bored.
  • * Amanda Seyfried ("The Big Wedding") is Louise, bored, bored, bored.
  • * Neil Patrick Harris ("The Smurfs") is Foy, who has a dashing mustache and is NOT boring!
  • * Giovanni Ribisi ("Gangster Squad") is the virginal Edward, engaged these many years to....
  • * Sarah Silverman ("Gravy") Ruth a working girl with a heart of gold...and a potty mouth. She wears a crucifix and lovingly declines premarital sex with Edward because "I'm a Christian!"
  • * Charlize Theron ("Promethius") is Anna, the mysterious new woman in town who takes a shine to our brow-beaten hero. I have never seen Theron sling a gun or do comedy before and she's terrific!
  • * Liam Neeson ("Non-Stop") is Clinch (great name!), Anna's husband, a notorious gunman come to settle the score because he has heard a rumor about his wife.... Watch her give him that flower!

There are times when people are not in the mood for a socially redeeming film, but instead want a knock-down, drag-out comedy. That was our audience tonight; we had a great time. I'll own the DVD because I know I missed some great one-liners.

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