Good start, but then it gets ruined

Boring

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

October 'Tobe' (Evan Rachel Wood) is a rebellious teen living with brother Lonnie (Rory Culkin) and father Wade (David Morse) in the San Fernando Valley. She's going to the beach with her friends and invites gas station attendant Harlan (Edward Norton). He's a cowboy from South Dakota and has never seen the ocean. They go out and get detained when Charlie (Bruce Dern) claims that Harlan stole his horse. Wade gets them out and is not happy with them. The father and daughter relationship deteriorates but Harlan may be troubled as he tries to take her away.It's great to see Norton and Wood play these roles that are well within their range. This could have been done with more intensity and it takes an unexpected detour. The deviation from the expected Bonnie and Clyde escapade may be intriguing but feels wrong-headed. The movie should really start from Lonnie's point of view.

*** This review contains spoilers***IMDb's database on this movie lists as "goofs", continuity relating to the Edward Norton's beard, which makes drastic changes during the film's final scenes. Ranging from a heavy five-a- clock shadow to a Village People-type cowboy goatee, the beard completely disappears by the finale. (This in a climactic pursuit that would present a problem for any shaver.) Rather like the uncertainty of the star's beard the whole movie's focus makes startling changes as you view. These changes stretch from the potential portrayal of a Cowboy Rom-Com plot, to a potentially "mad killer in your midst" horror scenario. This is all played alongside a vague portrayal to an end of the cowboy dream, as a result of the incursion of modern day technologies. The cowboy rides his horse along some high ridge and in the background looms up an electricity pylon. Additionally, gridlocked six lane freeways hint more heavily that Wild West ways are certainly obsolete. These scenes succeed in making the hero a huge anomaly in the contemporary milieu he is portrayed living in. Add a Father, of his misunderstood teenage girlfriend, who is a hard denigrating, foul-mouthed collector of guns and these themes succeed in creating an eclectic mix of attitudes. These characters, and more, have to be continually deciphered as the movie unfolds. Is it really clear what is intended? Should we side with Father as the paternal protector of his young susceptible nubile, daughter? Or, with the wonderful pastiche of the Marlboro Cowboy in all his glory; a portrayal, which is well and truly discarded when the cowboy expertly gun-slings a bullet into his lover's stomach. This continual change of direction during this movie creates a continuous rhythm of ambiguity and conflict. Do we plump for the young earnest male lover, or the concerned father, or even the rights of the beautiful female focus for their protection. As soon as we decide the story makes us change our mind. This style continues right to the end of the movie. Having proved to be a man who has serious problems coping with reality, the two members of the family who were affected most by the faded cowboy ideal, cast his gunslinger ashes into the romantic Wild West winds. When you leave the film theatre you have every right to question the sense of this last scene. And like the rest of the film you will have had trouble deciding on anyone's rightful position and where your loyalties lie. If this is intentional then the Director has succeeded admirably in taking the viewer on a roller-coaster of deceitful signals. If not, then the film lacked a cohesive plot and focus in favour of a less ambiguous theme. (This would have made the film far less interesting.) What type of beard should the film wear?

You don't betray your 'hero' 2/3 into the movie...because you are betraying the audience as well, and while twists can be interesting, this one was, while surprising, so off-putting, that I lost all interest - and it wasn't that much at that point anyway...The film starts veeeerrryyyy slow. Nothing happens, oh, okay, an indie flick with pretentious cinematography and a bunch of Valley losers - boring and depressing...and I mind the boring part much more than the depressing part!A cardboard cut-out volatile dad whose character is not developed at all. A teenage daughter who, while in conflict with daddy, is not really a rebel at all, just a leeeetle easy... A younger half-brother or something who has anxieties from who knows where, I suspected daddy of wrongdoing, but it turned out dad's just a little neglecting and over-protective, but essentially a good guy...great.A cowboy from South Dakota who's not a cowboy from South Dakota but a Jewish ex con from the Valley, and a psychopath to boot. Puh- leeeze, are you kidding me?So, forget the first hour, forget the love story, he shoots her and goes off without caring what happens to her...hello??? Why would I care what he does after that??? I mean, except repenting or something...or being responsible for his actions, something he professed to believe in in another movie - the one of the first hour...haha, how funny, it was all a show...NOT funny, NOT shocking, JUST boring.Oh my, what did this movie want to be???Bad script.And I love Ed, I really do, and he IS great in this (until that stupid twist, then it all slides downhill...), but I really wish I hadn't wasted my time with this film...

Harlan (Edward Norton) is a mysterious loner living in San Fernando Valley. Harlan is completely obsessed with the ways of being a real cowboy. Then he finds romance unexpectedly with a rebellious teenager named Tobe (Evan Rachel Wood). Which Tobe shares some of the the same passion and someways they are both lost souls for different reasons. Tobe's overprotected father (David Morse) feels there's something truly strange about Harlan's seemingly good hearted behavior. He doesn't want Harlan to be around his daughter or his shy often scared teen son (Rory Culkin). Harlan finds himself in the middle of a nervous breakdown and he's also running from the law... after he accidentally shot Tobe. He kidnap's Tobe's brother. Harlan makes him believe that his father shot his sister. Now Wade will do everything to find his son before the situation gets worse.Written and Directed by David Jacobson (Dahmer) made an genuine well-made drama with an excellent performance by Norton. This independent film has strong supporting performances by Wood, Morse and Culkin. It's well shot in Widescreen by Cinematographer:Enrique Chediak (28 Weeks Later, The Faculty, Turistas) and the music by Peter Salett is fine also. This movie wasn't widely seen in theaters. But it should find itself an cult audiences on DVD.DVD has an terrific anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD also includes Deleted Scenes, Filmmaker and Actor Q & A and the original theatrical trailer. I would have loved to hear an director's/actor's commentary but it is a shame, it doesn't have one. This might be forgotten in the independent world of cinema but it's a damn good movie. This should not be missed. Super 35. (**** 1/2 out of *****).