neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Open Range
	Kevin Costner Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter, Diego Luna, James Russo, Abraham Benrubi 2003		On the assumption that the Western movie is moribund in the 21st century, the release of the sagebrush saga "Open Range" is more than an anomaly. It's downright shocking. "Open Range" could've been ludicrous, too, especially when you consider that it was directed by Kevin Costner, whose filmmaking prowess was called into question after he made the cloddish post-apocalyptic drama "The Postman." Costner also directed the well-received Western epic "Dances With Wolves," which may suggest an affinity for the form. In any case, "Open Range," set in the vastness of the American prairie during the 1880s, is elegantly shot, occasionally exciting and in need of a trim. Even when it gets languorous and trite, it's acted with enthusiasm by the grand Robert Duvall and the rest of the cast. Heroes Boss (Duvall) and Charley (Costner) are grizzled cowboys on a cattle drive. Assisted by two protégés (Diego Luna, Abraham Benrubi), they run afoul of a wicked rancher (Michael Gambon) who wants to hurt them and scatter their herd because it's free-grazing on his land. The conflict escalates in a nearby town where, amid the carnage, a good woman (Annette Bening) is drawn to rough-hewn Charley — and he to her.