ViewGuide

Created Apr 23, 2008 07:13PM PST • Edited Jun 16, 2019 01:57AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Unlike Bonnie and Clyde, the Newton Boys were successful bank robbers, so it’s an injustice that they’re not as famous – nor their biopic as celebrated – as that of those other early 20th century Texas outlaws. Especially because The Newton Boys is a slick, rollicking and interesting movie, one that shows in quite entertaining fashion how 1920s America retained essential elements of its Wild West origins, and how the Newton Boys used this to their advantage.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Strong cast with Matthew McConaughey and Ethan Hawke – a couple of Texans and Richard Linklater favorites – at the forefront. They get excellent backup from Dwight Yoakam, who plays a convincing little weasel when he’s out of his Country Star ten-gallon hat and painted-on jeans. Vincent D’Onofrio also turns in a characteristically juicy performance as eldest brother Dock Newton.

   Julianna Margulies disappoints as the love interest, though I admit she’s never been a favorite of mine.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars OK 2.5

7. Female Costars Really Great 4.5

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Great 4.0

    Richard Linklater is a terrific filmmaker and The Newton Boys is one of his lesser known gems.

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play Great 4.0

13. Music Great 4.0

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.7

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Fierce 1.9

19. Rudeness Salty 1.7

21. Reality

    Glib 1.2

    It is tough to substantiate how accurate the movie is, but it seems real enough, with the end result conforming to Wikipedia’s version of events.

    Of more interest is how the Midwest in the 1920s was still full of horse and buggy towns, allowing bank robbers to ride up on horses and and then gallop out of town with the loot.

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.5

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0