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movie review - The Highwaymen

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Sometimes you see a movie whose premise appears to be to assemble certain actors and let them do their thing. This is that, with Kevin Costner's quiet seriousness and Woody Harrelson's more outspoken vibe. They play "Texas Highwaymen", Rangers that enforces the law through violent means. Set in the Great Depression of the 20th Century, their quarry is the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. The movie does a great job of depicting the times; while Costner's character is financially sound virtually no one else is, and even Harrelson - here playing a significantly older man - is making ends meet by picking up spare work despite being retired. The famous bank robbers are portrayed sympathetically, and when the inevitable shoot out come you share the sense of regret evident in the two leading men. The politics of the situation are depicted in an interesting way, and the man hunt actually makes sense for once.

Recommended.