IMDb RATING
6.4/10
883
YOUR RATING
An aging cowboy must choose between his desire to remain free and the responsibilities of maintaining a family.An aging cowboy must choose between his desire to remain free and the responsibilities of maintaining a family.An aging cowboy must choose between his desire to remain free and the responsibilities of maintaining a family.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Richard Andrew Jones
- Alvin Lawdermilk
- (as Richard Jones)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
10lele77
I rented this movie 2 years ago, and then I went straight to the movie store to buy it! Tommy Lee Jones is one of my favorite actors. I haven't seen him in a role I didn't like! I was delighted to see that he could write and direct so well. I also love Matt Damon's acting in everything he does.
Matt's character, Cotton, is the nephew of Tommy Lee's character, Hewey. Cotton has a hard time welcoming Hewey back after Hewey spent two years of seeing "beautiful country" on horseback. Uncle Hewey promised Cotton, 16, some things when he was younger and never came through. It's entertaining and enjoyable watching their relationship mend. This is a great family movie that I have shared with my family several times. I suggest you watch it and share it with yours!
Matt's character, Cotton, is the nephew of Tommy Lee's character, Hewey. Cotton has a hard time welcoming Hewey back after Hewey spent two years of seeing "beautiful country" on horseback. Uncle Hewey promised Cotton, 16, some things when he was younger and never came through. It's entertaining and enjoyable watching their relationship mend. This is a great family movie that I have shared with my family several times. I suggest you watch it and share it with yours!
Tommy Lee Jones rides past a church and tells his horse that he really likes the congregation's singing.
Me too, but for the life of me I can't find the name of the hymn.
If Jones had left full details of the sound track in the credits I would have give this a 10. But he didn't, so I won't.
Me too, but for the life of me I can't find the name of the hymn.
If Jones had left full details of the sound track in the credits I would have give this a 10. But he didn't, so I won't.
I just wanted mainly to comment on another reviewer's review, in which he thought the ending was unrealistic. It just happens that the author, Elmer Kelton, grew up on West Texas ranches and probably knows at least as many cowboys as that reviewer and is a well respected Western author. I would like to see more of his books made into movies. I was working in the Ft. Davis area during the summer the movie was being made there. Tommy Lee Jones is also a West Texan and seems to know how to portray them well on screen. My favorite scene is when Hewey Callaway and his friend rope the old car at the rodeo in San Angelo. Also a very funny one is the one where Hewey shakes the dog urine off a weed onto the pants leg of the Fat banker, resulting in the dog urinating on his leg.
I didn't even realize until after we had watched it (I guess I had somehow missed it in the beginning credits?) and came online here to review it that this TV movie was actually directed by Tommy Lee Jones, who is also the main lead in this. He did a very good job as an actor and a director both for this film, especially considering he had to do both at once.
It is a western drama about a cowboy who is rugged and wants to be free but also has the pull of "civilization" and family, who are making him more domesticated.
It's a good if predictable story and the acting make it definitely worth seeing, with a fantastic cast all around. Sam Shepard is great, as is Jones.
It is a western drama about a cowboy who is rugged and wants to be free but also has the pull of "civilization" and family, who are making him more domesticated.
It's a good if predictable story and the acting make it definitely worth seeing, with a fantastic cast all around. Sam Shepard is great, as is Jones.
Tommy Lee Jones directs himself and a sensational cast in this western. I couldn't believe how wonderful it was, and went to imdb to see who directed it. The look and feel of this movie are perfect, and every moment rings true. It also looks great. Jones' eye is superb, and the shots are brilliant without calling attention to themselves. Terrific.
Did you know
- TriviaMatt Damon said that in 1995, he was paid $20,000 to be in Tommy Lee Jones' film The Good Old Boys. He was able to hang out with Jones all summer and the money kept Damon and Ben Affleck free from having to take other jobs so that they could write Will Hunting (1997).
- GoofsAlmost all of the costumes are obviously brand-new, with no attempt to age them. This is particularly noticeable in the first scene, with the close-up shot of the chaps, which had supposedly had at least two years' use.
- Quotes
Hewey Calloway: Tommy, I ain't never been killed in my life.
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- The Good Old Boys
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