The Jack Bull- A Review By Addy

The Jack bull is based on based on a novel by Heinrich von Kleist called Michael Kohlhaas. This made for Television film was released in 1999. The Jack Bull film is a western film that relies more on a heavily entertaining plot rather than all out action for entertainment.

Jack Bull: A metaphorical Jack Russell terrier that, once it's annoyed enough to close its jaws on something, will hang on to the point of death.

Director: John Badham (Short Circuit, Another Stakeout)
Genre: Western/Drama
Running Time: 115 Min
Certificate: UK 15

Cast

John Cusack - Myrl Redding
John Goodman - Judge Tolliver
L.Q. Jones - Henry Ballard
Miranda Otto - Cora Redding
John C. McGinley - Woody
Rodney A. Grant - Billy
Kurt Fuller - Conrad
Rex Linn - Shelby Dykes
Drake Bell - Cage Redding
Scott Wilson - Governor
Dick Cusack - Jury Foreman

Synopsis

Set during the latter years of the nineteenth century in Wyoming territory, the law Henry Ballard is a powerful rancher and to all intents and purposes a law unto himself and pretty much does as he pleases with no consequence. One day whilst he is in town horse breeder and trader Myrl Redding signs a statehood petition against the wishes of Ballard who is threatening folk to discourage them from signing. Not only that, but Myrl humiliates Ballard in front of many of the townsfolk. A few days later Myrl leaves his little ranch, his wife and son behind and heads out with his two hands to take stock to market. The problem is that Ballard retaliates by charging Redding for travel privileges through his land. Being a small rancher Myrll is no able to pay the full amount but Ballard pushes Myrll to leave his two finest thoroughbred horses as collateral. Reluctantly Myrll has little choice to agree but also leaves one of his hands, a Crow Indian called Billy to keep care of the horses. Upon returning from the horse auction, Myrll is shocked to discover that Ballard's men have brutalised his horses as well as Billy. In fact only one of the horses survives and the other is in terrible health. Mryrll takes out lawsuit against Ballard but Judge Wilkins is in Ballard's pocket. Not only that, but things are perpetuated after Myrll's wife is killed. With little other option Myrll opts to use a law that is virtually obsolete and almost forgotten, a law of the old west. Raising a posse of men Myrll legally serves notice that if recompense then he will mete out justice that will ruin Ballard and involves a manhunt that turns a proud man into less than a mangy dog. It is now only a matter of time before someone dies and this leads to a culmination of events that you will have to see to believe!

My Opinion

EMOTION

The Jack Bull is a thinking man's Western that revels in irony and questions the wisdom of doing the wrong thing for the right reason. There are some action scenes but not for the first hour of the film and even then the action doesn't dominate. What the film does is use a plot with the right amount of action to keep you entertained. For this it needs to have a gripping storyline combined with phenomenal acting. That is what this film has in abundance. The way the story develops from a man wanting justice escalating to a feud out of control and aspirations for revenge on one part and justice still on the others part. The film also makes you empathise with characters and feel anger for the unfairness like feeling the sting of a back hand through the television. There is also politics involved in the film as a sideline with Wyoming vying for statehood and decency get overlooked when it interferes with the politics and corruption takes precedence damning a good man.

ACTING

All of this works because of outstanding acting especially John Goodman playing Judge Tolliver a character who's ethics do not bend, irrespective. In this role i simply cannot criticise the role he plays and he enthuses the film with a magic. John Cusack is here in a role i have never seen him in before and he takes to this role with the same degree of professionalism as seen in other films. As the lead character Cusack is a good choice and again it is hard to find fault with the job he does. All actors in the film are not short on experience and as a result this aids in making in my opinion, the best film that John Badham has directed to date.

Morality

A large bulk of the film deals with morality and the fantastic thing is that the character Myrll only ever wants exactly what he is owed and entitled to, irrespective of what happens to him. The issues of right and wrong are often at the forefront of the film and it eeks out into the grey areas often giving much food for thought. The plot can often have you cursing at all the times that the film is like real life inasmuch as right does not always prevail and immorality gets the upper hand. The film can hit quite hard to since it does not necessarily have a happy ending depending from what perspective you look at it from. There are characters in the film devoid of compassion and the cruelty inflicted upon two gorgeous thoroughbred horses merely to spite another man can make you cringe and think "What a shame."

There is a lot to like about this film and i feel confident to say that most of you will. The film is a fifteen rating and i feel that rather than being explicit it is the plot itself and having a grasp of it intrinsically is where this rating has arisen from indicating that a degree of maturity is required to get to grips with the plot.

Excerpt of the film script

Judge Tolliver: Well, I worry about you and me, Judge Wilkins. I swear to God I do, 'cause if this country gets ruined... it'll be ruined by people like you and me. This is a territory of unimportant people; most folks around here... can't even write their name. You and me... we're the important people. Trouble is, there's not enough of us important people to go around - we're spread thin, so sometimes, important things get ignored or don't get said. Like... take care of the little feller; see to it that he don't get ignored or cheated or insulted; make sure that his dignity does not get trampled on. Now you're feelin' bad right now, and by God, you ought to... seein' as what just happened to a decent man. Myrl Redding did ""not"" fail the law...the law failed Myrl.

Things I Learned from This film

♠ The law was as much an ass then as it is now
♠ Politicians were as much a jack ass back then as they are now
♠ Vigilante justice is great fun
♠ Don't give horses in lieu of a payment, give the missus instead. The depreciation is more favourable, lol
♠ The rich man will always have the upper hand over the poor man

Thanks to everyone that bothers to read/rate this review, Addy

© May 2008