(From IMDb.com)
A couple of cowboys at the center and the woman they fancy. Rifles, pistols and the bullets they shoot to eliminate threats. Bad guys and good guys. The flask and its healing liquor. Dusty trails and horses to navigate them.
Jane Got a Gunsurely carries the signs of the trusty western.
But this long-awaited release co-written by Brian Duffield and Anthony Tambakis and directed and co-written by Gavin O’Connor is more than the usual shoot-’em-up, ride-’em-hard flick.
First off, the also-carries-the-tags of action-drama revolves around the plight of Jane Pittman, a woman who rode out into the wilds of New Mexico carrying her baby daughter in the hopes of finding … Well, we see her sign up for the search of a better life in a series of flashbacks after her husband, Bill played by scruffy Noah Emmerich, rides home badly wounded by a gang of outlaws and she seeks the help of former fiancé Dan Frost, played by the strident Joel Edgerton, to fight off the bad men who are coming to finish this killing business they started.
It’s an odd but interesting plot setup, Dan reluctantly agreeing to help the woman of his past. Then again, this whole movie brings a peculiar history to the theater.
Original director Lynne Ramsay quit on the first day of shooting in 2013. That forced a delay that caused Michael Fassbender to give up the role of Frost. Edgarton got it, but only after he was first cast as Bishop Brothers gang leader Colin and Ewan McGregor was Dan, and then they switched.
Portman and Edgarton are as serious as the sun-baked terrain. And that chemistry works as the tale of reunion and redemption twists and turns through sadness and revenge, revelation and surprise.
The 1 hour, 28 minutes start out slow as the flashbacks take time to gain foothold.
But the small early matinée crowd at the Regal Cinemas theater in Syracuse mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex Destiny USA was rewarded for its patience. Jane got more than a gun. Resolve, too. Strength.
Do the up-close killings in the western genre immediately turn you off, or can you get through it to stick with the story? What’s your favorite western, and why? What’s your favorite Natalie Portman movie, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
Thanks! Always happy to shine 🙂 Since you like western, Mark, you should watch “The Salvation”.
I am not a fan of western movies, but I was thrilled by it! It’s an awesome movie!
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Will do, Leila. 🙂
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“The Salvation”, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2720680/ is my western – recommendation. As for Natalie Portman, “The Black Swan” is my favourite one
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Thanks for the push, Leila. Your opinions brighten my place. 🙂
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I’ve only seen the preview but I held my breath through most of it. I don’t think I can see the movie, as I fear a complete lack of oxygen:). Looks suspenseful!
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It is very tense, Kay. 😮
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i love westerns, i loved the old clint eastwood spaghetti westerns the best. love natport too, my fav movie of hers was ‘the professional.’ fantastic.
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The Professional was quite tense, for sure, Beth. Natalie was great.
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I like Westerns, Mark. I like quiet tension. But my favorite Natalie Portman movie is “Léon: The Professional”.
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Thanks for adding your favorite Portman work to the discussion, Babe. Yes, westerns are great for that quiet tension, I agree.
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Not too keen on Westerns. I loved Natalie Portman in Closer.
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I’m not so keen on westerns. Perhaps because my grandad made me watch them as a kid. I am a fan of Natalie Portman, though. I thought she was stunning in the Black Swan. Have you seen it?
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My dad used to take me along to watch westerns with him, too, Amanda.
No, I have not seen Natalie in ‘Black Swan.’ Thanks to your suggestion, I shall hunt it down. 🙂
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I found it a really compelling watch! Let me know what you think. 🙂
I haven’t watched a western since I was …well… knee high to a grasshopper! Perhaps I’ll give one a watch some day!
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I’ll let you know, Amanda. And that’s a while ago for you. 😉
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It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a western. Not because I dislike them, but because none have intrigued me. Maybe I should read more reviews. This was intriguing.
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I liked the twist in this one, MBC. It would be a good re-entry into the genre for you, perhaps.
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Sorry Mark I hate westerns
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Not for all, Willow, that’s for sure.
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Certainly not me!! 🙂
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