Great, slowburning story with lots of dialogues, reasonably good acting and direction. Just a nice western, just nice.

Rating: 7/10 (16 September 2018)

The story in itself is quite simple: Christian Bale has to escort the crook Russel Crowe to court. But the dynamic and dialogues of the story are quite enjoyable. It could have been directed more bleak and grim. The original story lends itself to that mood, but director James Mangold made this story into an average commercial hollywood western, therefore it wont ever become a western classic, but it is still quite an enjoyable watch. Can be enjoyed by young and old, because the nucleus of this story is about a father son relationship, in which the father wants to risk death by bringing Russel Crowe to court, just to prove to his son, that he is a Man.
Based on an Elmore Leonard story, an author that is one of Quentin Tarantino favorites. "Jackie Brown" is based on another Elmore Leonard story, just to give you an example. Lots of dialogues in this western. Not too much action. And what those Leonard stories also have in common is that the characters are true to life people. Although there are better westerns to be found, this one has got its merits because of its great story and reasonably good acting by Russel Crowe and Christian Bale.