Review of The Newton Boys (1998) by Keoni R — 09 Sep 2006
Best in Show: Matthew McConaughey.
One for the future: Matthew McConaughey.
Stand-out scene: Bath scene.
Brainer or no-brainer: No brainer.
Stands up to one viewing or repeated?: One.
DVD commentary any good?: n/a.
DVD.
The film opens with a title sequence evocative of silent movies, which I took as a signal from director Richard Linklater that what was going to follow would be an old style Western, and he pretty much delivers on that promise. This was supposed to be the film that would bring Linklater's work from the indie fringes he inhabited with the likes of Slacker and Dazed and Confused and push him firmly into the mainstream. In the end it recouped only a third of its budget outlay (Linklater would have to wait until School of Rock before he had a smash hit on his hands) which doesn't wholly reflect the quality of this film. If you're expecting a traditional cops and robbers yarn then this delivers, the combined talents of McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio forming The Newton Boys of the title. Then there's Juliana Marguiles as McConaghey's love interest and Dwight Yoakam as the gang's explosives expert. The stand-out scene for me was the tin bath scene which contained a moment when I was convinced that Matthew McConaughey was the most handsomest man who has ever walked this earth. 1920s America is nostalgically rendered and there's a pleasing attention to detail in this movie. Based on a true story, of course the movie only renders a broad sweep of the true story but as the most prolific bank robbers/train hijackers of the age there's no hiding their lawlessness. Linklater gets around the problem of encouraging the viewer to root for criminals by portraying the banks' fleecing of the insurance companies as the bigger scam and McConaghey's character is seen sinking his money into oil prospecting which renders him as an upwardly mobile reluctant robber. As a cops and robbers tale this ranks high amongst its peers. Worth watching.
This review of The Newton Boys (1998) was written by Keoni R on 09 Sep 2006.
The Newton Boys has generally received mixed reviews.
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