The Newton Boys (1998)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The Newton Boys (1998): Dir: Richard Linklater / Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Skeet Ulrich, Dwight Yoakam: This is about as boring as a western can get. The best aspect of this film are interviews with the real Newton Boys in the conclusion. They were bank robbers in the 1920's but the story is a long dreary bore with hopeless settings and characters whom we really never care about. Matthew McConaughey leads the pack that includes Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Skeet Ulrich, and Dwight Yoakam. They might have well stayed home for all the humanity they give these roles. They are names on faces that never elevate off the screen. It never involves viewers and much of it is predictable and repetitious with a dull action climax. Director Richard Linklater often examines consequences of human behaviour. He previously made superior films such as Dazed and Confused and Slacker and despite The Newton Boys being a different outing for him to direct, the final product is about as exciting as a kick to the crotch. What he does do is bring certain purpose to the material as it showcases the lifestyle of these boys and the historical elements. The ensemble cast is an unfortunate waste when the actual Newton Boys interviews might have been more entertaining for ninety minutes. This film plays like a history report as oppose to a feature film. Score: 4 / 10

This was loosely based on the "most successful bank robbers of all time". It was one of the many collaborations Matthew McConaughey did with director Richard Linklater. Much like all the film versions of Dillinger, The Newton Boys has car chases, bank robberies, explosions, partying, love triangles, etc. All the elements that add drama and excitement to a film that I enjoy. Again, this film was panned critically and commercially, but again I don't care. Everyone I've introduced to the movie too, has enjoyed it. There is a cool scene during the closing credits too which shows miscellaneous interviews with all the Newton Brothers featuring one with Johnny Carson and the youngest Newton Boy and the last living at the time of the interview in the early 80's. Reviewed by AN/NR 11-14-11

The film is very banal. Bank robbers and postal train robbers, déjà vu, blasé, passé. Nothing particularly interesting or exciting. Yet the film has a slight flaw that makes it maybe of some interest. These bank robbers and postal train robbers survived the whole business in 1924, got through the trial with rather light sentences and they most of them died of old age fifty or so years later after giving, for some of them, some TV interviews about that profession of their young age. Then that was not a film but a fictionalized documentary. Shucks! Those who got the heaviest sentences were the few real profiteers who were the real organizers behind those young cowboys who got misled, by their own dream, into getting by force the money they desired to have. But the worst part in all that story is that they got caught on their last venture, the postal train robbery, because one of the gang of brothers shot another member of that brotherly gang because he did not stick to what he was supposed to do, went on the other side of the train and got frightened by someone who did not have the identifying hat they were all supposed to wear. A mistake, another mistake and the whole venture came to a stop, though they apparently did not recuperate all the money, neither the authorities, not the Newton Boys, because the part that was hidden away by one of them was done so under the influence of alcohol, not the money of course, but the Newton Boy who was supposed to bury it and he could never, so he says at least, remember where it was. If you are not afraid of the strong cowboy Texan accent of these boys, you can watch it and entertain yourself with the dream of what you could do with three million 1924 dollars. I guess you would favor buying a new hybrid car to be economical and nice with the planet.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

Why does everyone think this is a bad movie?? I thought the story was great and so was the acting. I like Matthew McConaughy and thought he did a great job with this movie. I also thought at times this movie was quite funny like when hes blowing the safe and blows up the whole bank. And i also think the setting of the movie is very well done. I like alot of movies around this era. And this and O Brother where art thou? top some of the movies set in the twenties thrities.. I give it eight out of ten stars...