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The Newton Boys (1998)
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Reviews Counted: 35
Fresh: 20
Rotten:15
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Texas filmmaker Richard Linklater's lighthearted Western tells the true story of the Newton brothers, who are regarded as the most successful bank robbers in the history of the United States. The time is the early 1920s and the place is... Texas filmmaker Richard Linklater's lighthearted Western tells the true story of the Newton brothers, who are regarded as the most successful bank robbers in the history of the United States. The time is the early 1920s and the place is Texas. When Willis Newton (Matthew McConaughey) returns from a four-year stint in prison, he quickly falls into a life of bank robbing. Excited by the prospects of stealing even more money, he recruits his three brothers--the charming Jess (Ethan Hawke), the sensitive Joe (Skeet Ulrich), and the brutish Dock (Vincent D'Onofrio)--and ace safecracker Brentwood Glasscock (Dwight Yoakam) to help him ravage the country's banks, as long as no one gets hurt. Along the way, Willis meets and falls in love with Louise Brown (Julianna Margulies), a single mother living in Omaha. Eventually, greed gets the better of the gang and they set their sights on a federal train that is transporting three million dollars in cash and bonds. Unfortunately, the heist goes awry and the boys are threatened with jail time. Linklater's film is an affable and sweet affair, with a goodnatured tone that greatly mimics the Newton brothers themselves. Linklater alumni McConaughey and Hawke headline the all-star cast, while music by the Bad Livers keeps the atmosphere breezy throughout. [More]
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Gail Cronauer, Julianna Margulies, Dwight Yoakam, Jena Karam, Casey McAuliffe, Regina Mae Matthews, Charles Gunning, Beckett Gremmels, Lew Temple, Glynn Williams, Charles "Chip" Bray, Chloe Webb, Gary Moody, Robert Iannaccone, Jennifer Miriam, Anne Stedman, Marjorie Carroll, Katie Gratson, Angie Chase, Lynn Mathis, Ed Dollison, Boots Southerland, Bo Hopkins, Tommy Townsend, Mary Love, A.G. Zeke Mills, Abra Moore, Lori Heuring, Joe Stevens, Eddie Matthews, Scott Roland, J.P. Schwan, Rooster McConaughey, Bo Franks, Ali Nazary, Ron de Roxtra, David Jensen, Brad Arrington, Richard A. Jones, Randy Stripling, Harold Suggs, Chamblee Ferguson, F.W. Post, Grant James, Mark Fickert, Kerry Tartack, Luke Askew, Blue McDonnell, Eduardo Cavazos Garza, Ken Farmer, Daniel Tucker Kamin, Ross Sears
Director: Richard Linklater
Director: Richard Linklater
Story: Claude Stanush
Screenwriter: Richard Linklater, Claude Stanush, Clark Lee Walker
Composer: Edward D. Barnes
Producer: Anne Walker-McBay
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Reviews for The Newton Boys
A handsome production that nicely evokes the 1920s and a likeable cast headed by McConaughey can't compensate for a Western-gangster film that's too diffuse and lacks a discernibel POV to be dramatically engaging.
Linklater seems to understand the root of McConaughey's appeal stems from his wild side. Casting McConaughey as someone noble and high-minded... is like hiring Madonna to play a housewife.
There's little nuance in the straightforward, chronological way the tale is told--it's hard to point to a scene that's worth discussing after you've left the theatre.
Linklater's genuine regard for his characters and fidelity to his setting are his strongest directorial traits.
Latest News for The Newton Boys
July 21, 2005:
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