Jane Got a Gun

Weinstein Company, The | Release Date: January 29, 2016

5.2	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 70 Ratings

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DotTheEyesJan 29, 2016

After he is nearly shot to death by a band of outlaws, fur trader and reformed criminal Bill Hammond (Noah Emmerich) rides home to his wife Jane (Natalie Portman) and their daughter. As he lays bleeding, he warns her the dangerous mob willAfter he is nearly shot to death by a band of outlaws, fur trader and reformed criminal Bill Hammond (Noah Emmerich) rides home to his wife Jane (Natalie Portman) and their daughter. As he lays bleeding, he warns her the dangerous mob will come again, so she enlists a reluctant guardian: Union hero and former lover Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton). Jane and the two men reflect on their complicated and painful shared history as they prepare for a last stand. The pulpily titled Jane Got a Gun is already infamous for its tortured road to the silver screen: Scottish art-house director Lynne Ramsay quit the production just a day or so before filming began amid legal and personal conflict, precipitating a litany of changes in front of and behind the camera. Later, original distributor Relativity imploded during post-production; as a result, the film was sold to the Weinstein Company and ambivalently scheduled for release during the January doldrums.

This unenviable lineage invites contrary readings: it is a bit mystifying why so many incredibly famous and talented people endured so much headache-inducing behind-the-scenes drama to realize what is ultimately a minor siege Western with inconsistent pacing and an overly tidy ending. There is no major (feminist, genre-upending) revisionism nor is it a particularly detailed exploration of love and life on the frontier. The prestige of the people involved and those almost involved (Ramsay, Michael Fassbender, Jude Law) indicated, at least to me, a more intricate, lyrical, and/or visceral experience on par with The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, or the 2010 True Grit, but this was either never the case or myriad idiosyncrasies were smoothed along the way.

Having said this, honorable replacement director Gavin O'Connor has not made a -bad- film. Far from it. As a small-scale genre exercise, it delivers certain pleasures, including expansive, parched vistas; a degree of slowly burning suspense culminating in a well-executed set piece; and dynamic lead performances by Portman and a particularly charismatic and stout Edgerton, as well as a welcome dose of camp antagonism courtesy of an underutilized, but game Ewan McGregor.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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smiyamotApr 28, 2016

Like the old westerns of the John Wayne days, this movie was very similar in style. Not a lot of talking, not a lot of doing, just getting it done. There was a back story of course, and we see it slowly in flashback, and it gives meat toLike the old westerns of the John Wayne days, this movie was very similar in style. Not a lot of talking, not a lot of doing, just getting it done. There was a back story of course, and we see it slowly in flashback, and it gives meat to the "cut to the bone" story line. About the only change made for today is the heroine; in the old days, it would have been a young boy.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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MrThistle999Mar 24, 2016

Maybe Natalie didn't ever really really occupy this character, but she did pretty well. For an actress who always seems so young, it was nice to see her be a mature woman. The other characters were first-rate, IMO. Joel Edgerton has quite aMaybe Natalie didn't ever really really occupy this character, but she did pretty well. For an actress who always seems so young, it was nice to see her be a mature woman. The other characters were first-rate, IMO. Joel Edgerton has quite a future as an actor and writer, and Noah Emmerich played it perfectly. He could've over-dramatized that role; maybe the director had a say in that, yeah? I reckon. I thought the pacing of the story was perfect, and enjoyed the flashbacks. Finally, the cinematography was beautiful; this movie is loaded with jaw-dropping shots. Oh yeah, all the sleazeball bad guys were very entertaining! Holy Toledo, what a bunch of creeps!… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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LeZeeOct 4, 2016

A woman's preparation to fight the outlaws.

Probably on underrated film, but for me, I'm sure it is an underrated film. From the director of 'Warrior', another excellent film to include in his filmography. A well written screenplay, butA woman's preparation to fight the outlaws.

Probably on underrated film, but for me, I'm sure it is an underrated film. From the director of 'Warrior', another excellent film to include in his filmography. A well written screenplay, but that's where the problem is according to those did not like it. Because it was kind of 'all's well, ends well' story. That does not mean it is full of cliché, maybe they expected the film to be more harsh and violent like most of the high profile western films do.

Sorry to those who did not enjoy it, but I did. It was nothing like only for men, but still R rated. Yep, I understand the last 10-15 minutes was so intentional, so what, the story wrapped perfectly in a right way. I must appreciate the cast, particularly the lead two actors, Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton. This film is not an opportunity to give the best character display, but everyone did their parts quite finely.

Ewan McGregor was a disappointment with his useless role. I mean it was a good one, but not made for him. I think the villain character lacks the toughness. That leaves it a one sided theme, so you might not know how the developments happen, but you will know which way is it heading in the earliest. Particularly as it was focused more on the romance, despite it is not a romance theme. Though there is a twist and many turns in the narration. Overall film was very entertaining, partly predictable, yet totally worth a watch if you keep your expectation locked in a safe afar while watching it.

8/10… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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