The
Newton Boys tells the true story of a group of brothers, who became infamous bank
robbers in the 1920's. They're played, respectively, by Matthew McConaughey, Ethan
Hawke, Skeet Ulrich, and Vincent D'Onofrio--with country singer Dwight Yoakam
along for the ride as their explosives expert.
At
first glance, I thought The Newton Boys would be another Young Guns/Mobsters brat-pack
vehicle. Surprisingly this film is on a higher level, thanks to charismatic performances
and solid writing. The film was written and directed by Richard Linklater, and
he delivers a lighthearted, breezy flowing film. The Newton Boys is a departure
for Linklater who's earlier films include; Before Sunrise, Dazed and Confused,
Slacker, and Suburbia. This is his attempt at a western and, surprisingly, it
works.
The cast
does a great job, most notably, Ethan Hawke who finally manages to shed his tortured-artist
image. For once he seems to be having fun in a role. Julianna Margulies, from
T.V.'s E.R., also appears. She's terrific as McConaughey's love interest. The
Newton Boys is a fun time at the movies. On a final note, stick around through
the film's end credits. There are some great interviews with two of the real Newton
Boys.
