Each Monday, I continue to share Western movie reviews as I go through the process of finishing post and releasing my 12 Westerns in 12 Months during 2020. I am watching these films not from an audience perspective but as a filmmaker, as a student of the genre.
Week Eighty Six: Rancho Deluxe
I definitely don’t share the strong affection some have for this movie but I must admit that in the days after watching it, some of the moments grew on me.
Is this really a Western though? Even as a modern take on the genre it’s a little thin. Though it’s about cattle rustlers and has some Western elements, the film feels like the leftovers of the hippie era to me. Modern Westerns that work best are less about the setting and aesthetic but more thematically connected to the classics, like Wind River and Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.
But again, some of the moments are pretty damn good. The “negro” dialog with the Sheriff is classic and a great way to pick at racism. Slim Pickens is of course fun to watch as well.
I’m glad I’ve finally seen it but this won’t have me coming back for more.
Seen on Amazon Prime.
