Review: 'The Newton Boys' shoot blanks

March 27, 1998
Web posted at: 10:33 p.m. EST (0333 GMT)

From Reviewer Paul Clinton

(CNN) -- "The Newton Boys" is based on the real-life story of a family of poor cowboys who turned themselves into the most successful gang of bank robbers in the history of the United States. Usually you can be assured that truth is much stranger than fiction, but with "The Newton Boys" the truth isn't strange. It's just incredibly boring.

See Paul's review "The Newton Boys" movie trailer

In 1919, the four Newton brothers decided to go into business for themselves. Their business, which they "ran" through 1924, just happened to be robbing banks. The rationale, at least for the oldest son, Willis Newton, played in the film by Matthew McConaughey, was that robbing banks wasn't a major crime, since banks were insured, and after all, insurance companies were society's biggest crooks.

The transition from the wild frontier into the Roaring '20s was an interesting time in the West, so it's a no-brainer as to why this film was made.

The casting probably didn't hurt: I can just see the faces of the studio suits lighting up as the names of the cast were first uttered. Joining McConaughey on this western gallop are Ethan Hawke as Jess Newton, Vincent D'Onofrio as Dock Newton, and Skeet Ulrich as the reluctant youngest brother, Joe Newton. Together these guys are a virtual "who's who" of young hunk Hollywood.

"E.R."'s Julianna Margulies is generally wasted as McConaughey's love interest; I never felt any chemistry between the two actors. Plus, what has gotten into McConaughey lately? In his first few films he displayed a promising natural acting style, but ever since "Contact," he plays everything with his eyes bugged out, and employs this over-the-top sincerity that comes across as totally fake. Calm down, Matt!

Writer/director Richard Linklater is the most successful of the Generation X filmmakers. "The Newton Boys" is a major departure from his previous works, which include "Dazed and Confused" and "Slacker." He takes on a much broader canvas here, and in terms of production he's done well. The sets, the costumes and even the whole production design are excellent: Linklater has achieved a very effective period look.

But the plot goes nowhere. The film doesn't have a point of view. It doesn't have much of a point either.

I had high hopes for this movie -- liked the concept, liked some of the previous work by the young actors.

Didn't like the story, and didn't like that it took more than an hour and a half for any real drama to kick in. The movie takes off when the boys finally decide to rob a train, an act that turns out to net a $3 million payoff. Sorry, too little, too late.

"The Newton Boys" movie clip
	2M/36 sec./320x240 1.2M/36 sec./160x120 QuickTime movie

The studio calls this film a saga and I have to agree, it does sag (although I don't think that's what they had in mind). I just didn't buy the romance between McConaughey and Margulies' characters, and in the end, I just didn't give a hoot about the Newton boys. The visual details in this film are wonderful, but someone forgot that the audience is suppose to care about the characters.

Instead, the film just becomes a laundry list of the different banks the brothers robbed.

The Newton brothers' escapades took place in the same general era as Jesse James, Butch and Sundance, and Bonnie and Clyde. Yet the Newton brothers' story comes across as weaker than these other juicy legends. True, those other crooks all killed people and the Newtons were murder free. But is random killing the only way to create tension and draw the audience into a story? It's a good way, but not the only way, and "The Newton Boys" just didn't pull my trigger.

The best part of the film comes during the closing credits. As the credits roll we see documentary footage of an interview with Willis Newton, and an old Johnny Carson, "Tonight Show," segment where Johnny interviews Joe Newton. The real guys are a real hoot. I'm sure their story is also a hoot. Too bad you won't see it here.

"The Newton Boys" is rated PG-13 for violence, including the bloody aftermath of a shooting and for language. 122 minutes.

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