Do you think you could win in a gun duel? In May 2014, Albert knew he couldn't, so he tried talking his way out of it...Directing this 116 minute western/comedy is Seth MacFarlane.
Kicking up some dust in town is: Seth MacFarlane as Albert, Charlize Theron as Anna, Amanda Seyfried as Louise, Neil Patrick Harris as Foy, Giovanni Ribisi as Edward, Sarah Silverman as Ruth and Liam Neeson as Clinch.
Albert is a simple sheep farmer that knows all too well the dangers of living in the old west. Yet, one of the few things that makes Albert's life worth it is his girlfriend Louise. So it came as a big surprise to Albert when Louise dumped him after his cowardly move during a gun duel. Shattered and depressed, Albert decides
maybe he should move and see what life is like somewhere else. Yet after running to someone new in town, Albert gets talked into staying a little longer. Unfortunately, what Albert doesn't know is trouble is heading his way and it's going to take more than some sheepish skills and fast talking to save his hide.
Apparently what started out as a joke between writers Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild evolved into a full on comedy. Being a fan, MacFarlane took a lot of inspiration from other westerns when putting this one together. After it was all said and done, MacFarlane, Sulkin and Wild gave us a bit of a different view on the wild west.
First off, the script is just a constant stream of great humor, and I couldn't stop laughing. Now I will warn you, if you're not a MacFarlane fan or familier with his work, like Family Guy (T.V. show 1999) or Ted (2012) it can be condsidered a more low brow humor for some, especially here in this flick. The script is filled with a lot of sex jokes or references, bodily functions etc., which could make for an unenjoyable film. If you're entertained by MacFarlane then you'll be highly entertained by this old west comedy shoot out. I thought the storyline was solid and because of the witty script and visual gags it held my attention the entire time.
The playthrough was cool, and has a really good pace that flowed well. The thing I had trouble getting around was that the film is set in the 1800's, but the playthrough felt more like a modern day comedy. Mainly because of the language used or the way it was used, pulled it out of the time period. Not that it matters much, we're not talking about a documentary or anything, but it did draw my attention a bit.
Yeah the script and playthrough is good, but the other thing that made this movie so entertaining was the work done by the cast. I don't care what the movie is or how bad it turns out, Neil Patrick Harris (NPH) always brings great characters to the table. This one was no different! NPH was one of the best things this movie had going for it, and his delivery was priceless. Don't get me wrong, other cast members did well also. Like Theron, MacFarlane and even Silverman (who I can't really stand) played some funny characters. I was kind of surprised to see Neeson in the film, and yeah he did... ok. Yet, I wasn't really impressed with him nor did I think he fit into the film very well. Other than that the cast was super cool and I dug the cameos that the film had. Those quick appearances made for some cool visual treats while watching the flick.
As for the special effects, they didn't really blend too well with the scenes. Which was kind of sad because as far as the sets and costumes went everything else looked good. Luckly, the special effects moments were quick and don't take away from the film, they just catch your eye here and there.
Overall, it's a great comedy that's well worth checking out in the theaters.
It's rated R for language and violence.
4 stars