The Newton Boys (Widescreen)

This is a "gangster" movie without gangsters. No one gets killed or tortured graphically. It's a real life story of depression era brothers trying to get some cash and having some adventures along the way.

I think Hawke puts in one of his best performances ever. Dwight Yoakam also contributes some good acting, especially when compared to his fabulous "Sling Blade" villan.

The only flaw is the length. The movie drags a little after a while, but it still manages to make you care enough about the characters to see it through to the end.

The final credits featuring Willis and Joe Newton at the end of their lives make the film worth owning. It's one of the most clever ways to make the credits worth watching I've seen.

Give this movie a chance. It's well acted and is aesthetically pleasing to watch. Plus it's really low cost!

That screen time tells a fairly standard story, and there are few genuine surprises to be found in that respect. Still, the movie isn't so much about plot as mood and character. This is the closest Linklater has come to making a Hollywood film, and he uses the resources to enhance, rather than ignore, his worldview. The cast is fairly excellent, with Ethan Hawke's drunkard being the standout. Matthew McConaughey has the largest role, and shows more charm here than in nearly any other film that he has been in. Although the film's setting is far from the modern day slacker world of Linklater's other films, the prevailing attitude seems to be the same. It's a mix of Texan charm and genteel sophistication. This treatment of the subject matter doesn't ever come off as cocky. It creates a wonderful sense of respect toward history. Several times, the Newton boys are allowed to state their socio-political justification for robbing banks. That they use flawed logic isn't the point. That they get a chance to make their case is. Linklater really isn't an astounding visualist (though the film is attractive) nor does he have a tremendous sense of pacing. What he does have is a humanist streak that runs throughout his films. Even when a double cross occurs in the film, he pauses to note that the traitor continued to assert his innocence. That genuine regard for his characters and fidelity to his setting are his strongest directorial traits. I'll take that over puffed up set pieces and quick cutting any day.