Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

We borrowed this from my in-laws, and I did so sort of half-heartedly. I'm not the biggest fan of westerns, but I like Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, and James Garner is okay. After watching this, I love all three of them. And I want to buy this movie. Maybe I'll just keep my in-laws copy!

The blurb on the front of the case says "Fast, funny. It's Lethal Weapon meets Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Now, I've never seen any of the Lethal Weapon films (may have to remedy that soon), but I really liked Butch and Sundance.

I've never seen the TV series, and you don't have to to enjoy this movie. It made me want to look for copies of the series, but this is great as a stand-alone flick.

Mel Gibson is wonderful as Brett Maverick, a gambler with basically a good heart (I think) on his way to a BIG poker game in the Old West. Just the right amount of humor, smart-aleckiness, and gunslinging to make a great Western hero...it's always hard to tell and fun to figure out who's conning whom, and who's going to get caught.

Jodie Foster plays Annabelle, and she's a bigger con artist than Maverick is. I don't think I've ever seen Jodie Foster in a comedy (with the exception of Freaky Friday), and she's wonderful in this role. It's fun to see her running around the Old West with Gibson and Garner, seeing just how much she can get away with.

James Garner plays a lawman, Zane Cooper, who is on his way to the same Poker game as the other two, and they end up crossing paths multiple times. A smaller role than you'd think, but he has a great time with it. Great deadpan delivery of his lines, and it makes me want to see more of his work. Great pokerfaced lawman, smart and as fast as Maverick with the guns.

Alfred Molina plays the main bad guy--a Spaniard gunslinger who's trying to kill Maverick. That's all I'll say, but he's obviously having a good time here. I also saw him recently in "Chocolat" (plug for my other review...), and I really like him in this and the other film.

"Maverick" doesn't get specific about where they're at in the Old West, but I recognized Lake Powell in Southern Utah and Yosemite in California. Great scenery all over the place. It's an adventurous film, with great Stagecoach scenes, barroom fights, and even riverboats. I was laughing out loud from beginning to end, and it was a great way to spend a fun evening. There was a lot of the "S-Word", which could turn some people off, and that coupled with the frequent fights could make it too much for your pups. For us, it was far better than we had expected, and we'll probably end up buying it (or stealing this copy from Ye Olde In-Laws...)

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older