James Coburn stars in this disappointing drama about a man who tracks the gun he believes killed his daughter. Living out his twilight years in a dreary, snowbound Vermont town, tragedy strikes when his beloved daughter (Virginia Madsen) returns home for the holidays. While out doing some last minute shopping, she is shot and killed, seemingly by a nameless local thug. Crushed by her tragic and sudden death Coburn's hard-working everyman falls to pieces and decides to set out on in search of the
weapon that laid the final blow. Also in search of his estranged granddaughter, Coburn crisscrosses the country as he comes into contact with the various owners of the titular weapon, hearing each of their diverse stories. ~ Rachel Deahl, Rovi
Getting a lot of quality cinema out of a tight budget, Jacobs (Just One Night) takes some risks in the storytelling department that result in a film that encourages one to think long and hard about the subject of guns.
The film comes closer to doing for firearms what "Jurassic Park 3" did for dinosaurs. It showed lots of 'em, had them kill a few people and made you wish it would end sooner than it did.
Coburn is the whole show. Disregard the melodrama, and take it instead as a tone poem documenting the final, wintery ride of an irreplaceably magnificent bastard.
Gives the gun control debate a real shot in the arm (no pun intended). Whether it succeeds or fails as a story is largely irrelevant - it at least tries to be great.
All I can say about this film with out giving anything away is WOW. James Coburn played an excellent part, just a shame to see him in his elder years all crippled up with arthritis in his hands, watch closely and you will see it. This one shouldn't be missed. 3 1/2 stars
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