American
Outlaws (2001)
If you're a big Jesse James fanatic
(and there must be at least 50 on the planet), then
you will hate "American Outlaws." This is not verisimilitude
or recreationism. Nope. "American Outlaws" simply
takes most of the lore about James and his cohorts
and gives it a smirk and wink. This is "Young Guns
3."
So, if you are just looking for a funny,
fluffy, summer flick, the film is just right. You
don't have to think much about it at all. And it's
so stuffed with hunky looking young men that your
eyes are constantly fluttering with delight. Colin
Farrell is a real cutie who is fixing to be huge.
He really has fun here and the glimmer in his eye
seeps through every joke here making them sparkle
with amusement. With Scott Caan, Gabriel Macht and
Will McCormack in the saddle, cavorting around Farrell's
James, there is always something sexy to look at and
always something amusing to laugh at. McCormack real
prove himself to be quite adept at comic relief.
Another fun part of the film is mapping
cutie teen actor Gregory Smith's acne and noting how
it changes from shot to shot. And for the straight
guys, sexy Ali Larter pops up from time to time to
give the film some feminine relief.
In supporting roles, Kathy Bates, Harris
Yulin and Timothy Dalton all seem to have a hell of
a lot of fun. Dalton, as Pinkerton, really provides
just the right amount of intelligence and cunning
fox to keep the adversarial nature he has with Farrell's
James tweaked to the max.
Filmed in the hill country near Austin,
"American Outlaws" is a real popcorn movie. It's just
fun. Persnickety nitpickers and those versed in James'
lore should go elsewhere.
Note:
Moby's song "Find My Baby" is used
to bookend the film. Personal Note:
My friend the late John Christensen
was an extra in the film and can be seen for about
2 seconds in one shot, standing outside when Farrell
leaves Larter in his burned-out house.
