The Outsider (2002)

It is a performances centric movie

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

The storyline is predictable, but what makes this movie work is the great chemistry between the two main characters, played by Naomi Watts and Tim Daly, and perfect pace of the story, great performances by supporting cast - Keith & David Carradine - and great music. After I saw the movie (watching it probably 100 times in the first few months after purchasing the DVD)I also purchased the book on which the movie was based. The book was a disappointment, the movie is much better. The plot is similar to an early John Wayne movie called "The Angel and the Badman" and also to a more recent movie with Harrison Ford titled "Witness". However, neither of those other two movies created the magical atmosphere that fans of The Outsider savor so much. If you don't love romance, you will probably not care for this movie, but for lovers of the genre, this is a feast. I did not like the ending, but can forgive it in view of how great the rest of the movie is. This movie also has great musical score,which is in no small part responsible for the movie's success.

Timothy Daly (of Wings fame) and Naomi Watts star in what appears at first glance to be a remake of Angel and the Badman (John Wayne and Gail Russell.) I have to say I love both movies for the same reasons. Faith and love can get you through any hardship you might face.Johnny Gault is a world weary gunslinger who believes in his gun and nothing else. Rebecca Yodder belongs to a religious sect (The Plain People) who have strict rules for women and shun anything that may lead them to shame – including any kind of music.Rebecca's husband is murdered and her son and brother harassed by the local sheriff and his men for her land. Johnny arrives in the blazing sun and drops at her feet. She tends to him and he stays to help with the sheep and the farm.The difference between Angel and the Badman and The Outsider, is that you actually see Rebecca's family and the community shun her as she begins to question her love for Johnny and the freedom it brings. At the same time, Johnny must deal with his past and with the present issue of the sheriff and his men threatening his newly adopted family.What I really loved about this movie is the rhythm the director gave it with the hours and chores of the day, the beautiful score, and the stunning cinematography. Randa Haines (Children of a Lesser God, Hill Street Blues, The Ron Clark Story) assembled a cast that provides the emotional tension and drama that makes this movie worth watching. The chemistry between Daly and Watts is on target, and Daly will definitely make your heart beat a little faster. Keith Carradine plays a suitor and David Carradine plays the town doctor. John Noble (Lord of the Rings) plays the sheriff.If you enjoy collecting westerns, especially romantic ones – this one is a keeper.A bit of trivia: The haunting music you hear in the background of the movie is mostly Norwegian folk songs. Two of the songs sung – Bla Tonar Fra Lom and Jenta I Sauflokken can be found on the Nordisk Sang CD featuring various artists. There were no known Norwegian settlements in the US that were Amish, Mennonites or Quakers. Norwegian settlers were most likely Lutheran. The beautiful music still fits the movie and the mood. The movie, as most of you know is based on the historical romance The Outsider by author Penelope Williamson.

This film delivered on two things that the film world rarely does well: 1. the struggles of believers, submitted to God, in a world of violence and self-centeredness and 2. romance Both my husband and I enjoyed it.Critical to the success of the film was Timothy Daly's acting. He was fabulous! He made his character believable and interesting to watch. Naomi did a great job also. The setting (and the way it was filmed) was enjoyable also. I thought the script was good. The story moved along nicely while developing the characters. A person who was an orphan, who was tortured, without love, cut off emotionally, and involved in soul-scarring violence found love, a home, a family, and peace.

Like the user who commented before me I agree that the story is predictable. When the movie came on my TV (gotta love The Hallmark Channel) I though, "Oh Naomi Watts playing an Amish woman, that's interesting". So I had to watch. In the movie Naomi Watts doesn't call herself Amish, she calls herself "plain". While watching this movie I was getting a "Witness" (Harrison Ford movie) vibe from it, until near the end. The "plain" widow who befriends and eventually falls for an outsider. Now she must choose between love, or her faith. I figured that Naomi Watts' character would choose her faith, but she doesn't. She chooses love, and eventually gets banished from her family and friends. I liked the movie because of the choice she made, and how she stood up to her family about her feelings, saying that they were not bad. Or maybe I liked this movie because it hit close to home. I had to choose between love and my faith. Like Naomi Watts' character, I chose love. This movie is worth watching, and I was surprised to find that it is available on DVD.