Good for Nothing

Really enjoyed this movie. An excellent plot and all performances were top notch as well as the authenticity. It has all the elements of a superb spaghetti western. The character development is richly textured through visual means. Dialogue is short but this only enhances the character development. The music is well suited to the plot - and there is no canned banal use of it. The plot provides a touch of comedy and irony based on the real circumstances of that time era. It is similar to one of the fine westerns Robert Duvall has starred in recently and is quietly gripping from beginning to end..If you are a western buff, you will definitely enjoy this film.

Good For Nothing stands out as one of the most enjoyable Westerns from the past thirty years. In tone and spirit its close to the classic Sergio Leone-Clint Eastwood Spaghetti westerns. Director/Writer Mike Wallis has done a great job staying true to the genre while delivering an entertaining story full of unique twists to all of the classic scenes. Cohen Holloway plays the classic western anti-hero perfectly, with the added problem of dealing with erectile dysfunction - well his character anyway. Inge Rademeyer breaks the mold of the 'damsel in distress', bringing a complexity and substance with her performance to a role that traditionally has little to offer. Her and the director have built the role into a real-world character. Western fans should definitely seek this one out, its well worth it.

Isabella (Inge Rademeyer) comes from England to the US to stay at her uncle's ranch. She is kidnapped by The Man (Cohen Holloway) who is interested in her for a poke, but his ED prevails and he searches for a cure dragging her along. Because he doesn't know what is happening to him he tells a doctor that his "d**k is broke" and wants help.

I saw the DVD cover and saw The Man who looked a lot like Lee Van Cleef, with those piercing eyes, from the Spaghetti Westerns with Clint Eastwood back in the day, and, I figured I was in for a good time. Well, this is a different kind of western, but I stayed with it. There was almost no dialogue for the longest time. It took me a while to figure out what was going on and when his clumsy attempt at a "poke" didn't happen, it all made sense and he seeks help from a doctor in the next town. Long story short: The Man keeps getting advice that leads him to the Chinese and the Indians who may be able to help. All the while Isabella is tied up and taken along so she cannot get away.

The posse is hot on their trail with instructions to shoot the woman they labeled the "whore" on sight as they believe she helped The Man when he shot the Sheriff and bonuses will be paid.

When the posse catches up with The Man and his "whore" everything changes and there will be surprises for you to ponder. The ending is perfect.

I believe that if this movie had better music more people would know about it and an instant classic would be launched because all is good, the acting, dialogues and the tension that pervades everything. The chemistry between Isabella and The Man is truly something to watch as the relationship evolves. The cinematography is simply outstanding.

Of course, as you go along with this, you will know why the title is what it is, but for you this is good for something, a different kind of western that you will enjoy. (7/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Attempted rape: Yes. Nudity: No. Slang term for genitals: Yes, only mentioned once in the beginning. Language: No.

Isabella and Miss Parsons (am I remembering that right? There's no name even similar to that in the cast list) are two proper English ladies traveling through the American West on a train with a great-looking and great-sounding steam engine.

When the villain ties Isabella up, he goes into town and what happens next is very funny. And then Isabella gets loose, and with her clothes in tatters, people in town think she is a hooker. She goes to jail and the prisoner in the cell is hilarious. I only wish we had seen more of him.

The villain visits a Chinese mining camp. With hilarious results. Meanwhile, Isabella and the man visit an Indian medicine man--again, with funny results. The posse isn't having much luck because the tracker is incompetent.

The ending is satisfying but quite unexpected. It is, in fact, the very definition of ironic. But there is a complete story.

I wasn't expecting this to be so funny, but the TiVo listings did show it as a comedy first. Actually, this isn't that funny a lot of the time, and it is somewhat violent (though not unusually so for a Western) and unsettling. To enjoy it, you have to be willing to tolerate a sick sense of humor. Also, the sound went out a lot and characters' mouths were covered in many cases when this happened.

Cohen Holloway as the unnamed villain does quite a good job. He isn't merely the monster he appears to be at the start, but someone who has feelings. Just because he shoots everyone in sight doesn't mean he can't be redeemed.

Isabella is quite pretty and, despite her shock at how different the American West is after apparently having a privileged life, she is tough and determined. And even caring, despite how mean her kidnapper has been.

Other good performances come from actors playing Indians and Chinese.

And let's not forget how pretty the American West can be. Even if it's actually New Zealand. And the music is great--Latin guitar, regular guitar (not smooth jazz exactly, but close), and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

It's an unusual Western to be sure, and worth seeing.

What a great little movie, though I say "little" only because it's obviously an independent that seems to have missed much attention. I highly recommend it. The story is handled very, very well and the two lead actors bowled me over, especially since one appears to spend more time behind the camera than in front of it. That should really change!

Others have described the plot and the nice use of humor, although it never becomes camp. By the end, I was surprised to be reminded of The Earthling. Earthling has a very different style and topic, but they share the same kind of depth and impact by the end.

Of more recent films, I was also reminded of Meeker's Cutoff. Both were set, more or less, in the old west and provided an authentic feel that just felt right.