Open Range

SYNOPSIS

Actor/director Kevin Costner's skill with westerns was proven by his masterpiece Dances with Wolves. This doesn't aspire to the epic scope or profound themes of that movie, but it's still a beautifully crafted, well-acted example of the genre that only very occasionally lurches a little too close to cliché for comfort. It's set in a fascinating transitional period of frontier history, as the traditional free-ranging cattlemen and their herds were harassed and attacked by settled ranchers. But Costner finds most of the film's interest in the subtle relationships between the main characters. He is impressive as the taciturn Charley, whose Civil War memories haunt him, and Diego Luna (of Y Tu Mamá También) and Abraham Benrubi are likeable as the younger team members. But it is Robert Duvall's restrained, dignified performance as Boss Spearman, the gruff de facto father to the "family" of travelling cow-pokes, that's the movie's real treat. Gorgeously shot, robustly written and solidly sentimental, this will be a delight for those who like their westerns on the traditional side.