Gunless

No, this is not the "The Forgotten" or "Dancing with Wolves". This is a comedy Western in the vein of "Cat Ballou" or of "The Frisco Kid" although for me "Gunless" is much more of a hoot. Clearly not a large studio production, this lack of glitz in no way impedes this movie.

With its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, this fun exercise in the cowboy genre never takes itself too seriously. The result is a very watchable light-hearted film.

The hero (The Montana Kid) is played by Paul Gross (Men with Brooms) in an understated yet almost John Wayne manner. I found myself wishing that he and his character would return in a sequel or a TV series. He often made me smile, if not chuckle out loud with his sarcastic deadpan delivery and excellent timing.

The script is well done and the dialogue is sweet and refreshing.

The movie has unabashed heart without being sappy. I was very surprised how much I enjoyed this movie. The outtakes at the end are very funny also. Clearly they had a lot of fun making this sweet little nonsense of a movie.

This is a lighthearted Canadian western (if there is such a thing). I don't think this film has a lot of international appeal but for those of us who live in Canada, I believe that this film is one to try out! The comedy in this film is cute, and the action is not bad considering how many cast members are in this film. But this is what gives this film its charm.

But what really pulls this film off is the scenery, I believe they filmed this out in Osoyoos BC (in the interior) and you really can't complain about the beautiful night sky full of stars, and the rugged dusty terrain of one of the most charming parts of BC.

Overall, this ain't no Unforgiven but it is a unique, Canadian made, film that is fun to watch.

With the dearth of any, let alone decent westerns nowadays, this movie was a breath of fresh air. In the vein of the classic Briscoe County, it was a treat to watch. Acting was as well done if not better than the junk Hollywood offers. (Yes, Lower Case!) Obviously I enjoy westerns, and most of the recent movies guised as westerns have not made the grade. I will certainly watch this one again as well as recommend it. Oops, I see I need to write more... I guess simple and succinct doesn't rate. So, sorry, here are a few more lines. Nice to see it was based in Canada - clean skies and a lot of green... duh, am I done yet??? Let's see.

Thank you.

Well here is a first. I've never heard of a Canadian western. The idea may sound promising or risky. What it turns out to be is delightful, a bit amateurish, but fun.

The movie is played mostly for laughs. Paul Gross is terrific. To be honest, the guy feels like a cross between Bruce Campbell and Matt Dillon to be honest. Gunless is definitely not a traditional western, but like all the best ones it has a fiery showdown, throwing in some satire for good measure.

Western and Comedy don't often come together. I think Blazzing Saddles is the only one that ever tried, either that or the only one which succeeded, (well there is also Shanghai Noon). Gunless, though far from the humour of Mel Brooks, offers something fresh amongst all the mediocre/gimmicky pre summer features currently running. If it has managed to get theatrical release in your country (to all my non-Canadian readers), go see it, if not rent it when in comes out in a few months.

I had not seen Paul Gross since Passchendaele, and Sienna Guillory since The Time Machine. This was a pleasure to see them work together in a movie made for the enjoyment of everyone.

There is little else I can add to the above reviews, all of them quite accurate, except, I would not call this movie a forgettable waste of time. Comedy it is, yes, more tongue-in-cheek, but I know I wore a smile throughout the viewing because of the light-hearted-attempting-to be-serious story. On more than one occasion I could not resist laughing at the irresistible parodies. Some clichés were a bit silly, but not irritating.

Not so for The Montana Kid. A hardened gunfighter used to killing and death, is not easily swayed by pretty smiles and kind words, nor clueless people (hence the word clueless in my title). What can a hardened killer want with a small town full of innocent, warm people, living what appears to be in a dream world, who had never seen a gunfight, let alone a hardened killer (or was he)?

Lots of pleasant moments in this movie, one I'll want to watch again in time. But, that is not the best of it. The best part lies in this question: Can a town free of guilt and murderous hatred help a seasoned gunman to change his ways and thinking, helping him to find forgiveness and peace, without being bossy, or preachy, or pushy in any way? Moreover, can a wanted man, with a bounty on his head, learn the spirit of self-sacrifice and redemption, to protect those he has come to love and appreciate? That final scene, when both Montana and his lady love Jane were facing the bounty hunter was touching, showed the true nature of my previous statement, especially because of how they both played this out.

A really nice movie, friends! Worth every moment! Take your kids too! The fact that there isn't any real sex, violence is low-key, no foul language, does not make it a worthless movie. Nor is it a stupid comedy.

I never thought I'd see a low budget flick this good! Give it a go, friends!