I cannot emphasise just how well done this film is. For anybody that enjoys a decent western movie, this is ideal. This film is a biography of one of the greatest gunfighters to ever descend onto the wild west. Based on the true story and events of James Butler Hickok, otherwise known as Wild Bill Hickok, played magnificently by Jeff Bridges. The movie Incorporates many of the early events in Hickoks life before his violent demise in Deadwood, south Dakota.

The film starts of setting the scene, running through some of the violent events of the early days. The film also accurately shows the time Hickok was Marshal of Dodge City. Whilst in the midst of a volatile situation, one of Hickoks deputies runs up behind him, and as a consequence Hickok fearing attack turns and shoots him dead. After this event he forces all the disgusted spectators of the street. This is so he is not seen cradling his deputy in his arms and weeping. Hickok in his youth tries his handat many things and becomes legendary in fighting Native Americans, Scouting during the American Civil War, and hunting. But he could never escape the fact that his skill with firearms was incredible and what he did best was take lives. He even turned his hand to gambling but sucked at it.

Worse is yet to come in the form of Jack McCall, Played by David Arquette. Jack is the son of a lady who Hickok was in a relationship with whilst Jack was a young boy. Her name is suzanna, played by Diane Lane, and this was Hickok's real love. It seems though that Jack has a grudge against Hickok for breaking his mothers heart, and additionally because in a gunfight Hickok killed her new boyfriend. Jack constantly antagonises Hickok, yet Hickok shows such maturity by trying to empathise with Jack, and shows much tolerance. In a couple of scenes Hickok tries to befriend him because he does not want to kill him. With many mental issues Hickok is accurately shown in the film as taking opium, to escape his life. In one scene with his eyesight failing and being vulnerable because he is high, Jack comes in and puts a gun to Hickoks face but, Hickok is still too damn good. Jack hears a metallic click of a gun cocking and sees an hideaway pistol pointing straight at his chest. There is laughter as Jack marvels at the tenacity of Hickok, and Jack leaves. But it's not over for he conspires with a prositute, played by Christina Applegate to kill Hickok, and to help him he is going to hire some killers.

My wife loved this movie also not only because it is biographical, but the sensitivity of the film. There is a lot of emotion deep set in the life of a very violent man. Yet for Hickok there is justification for he often declares "Now you all know i never shot a man that didn't deserve it"
There is much humour in parts like when Will Plummer, played by Bruce Dern, is disabled in a wheelchair and challenges Hickok to a gunfight. To make it fair Hickok has himself tied to a chair and carried out to make it fair. This really happened. Also to goad Hickok into a fight he pays a boy to go into the saloon to say Hickok had sex with a horse, to which he replies "Which horse?"