Since I was around 6 I’ve wanted to watch this movie, so yeah quite a while. It may seem like a very random movie to want to watch and it is, however there’s a reason. Having been a big movie fan since the day I was born due to my dad also being one, I often looked through my dads movie books. One especially I loved “reading through”; 501 must see movies (2004? edition). Being a big western fan even back then, the western section of the book was probably the one I most often looked through. In that section Bad Company was included as one of the movies accompanied with some text and an image. Since the book was in english and I was a little young kid, I obviously couldn’t read the text and I didn’t care either, but I could look at the image and boy did I. I’m not sure what caught my attention about the image as it’s not particularly exciting, just some dirty looking boys standing around, one of them with a gun. Nevertheless something about that image excited me. I’d often pretend to act out the events of the movie based solely on that single image. So fair to say I managed to create many storylines all based around that image.
Growing Older I kind of forgot about the image, however occasionally I’d revisit the book and my excitement for that movie would come back. Eventually I learned what it was actually about, and which actors starred in it, who the director was and so on, but I never watched it. Maybe I was too scared to watch it, having built so many ideas in my head, but the point is I never did even though I really really wanted to. Before watching it today it was perhaps the movie I’ve been excited to watch for the longest time. So I’m glad I was finally pushed to watch it ! Because it was GOOD.
It was never gonna be what I had played out in my head all those years ago, so of course I’d have to level my expectations somewhat, because despite having a long relationship with this movie, I didn’t really know much about it. The story about young boys joining together, feeling overwhelmed by society and war is as old as ever. It’s an endearing tale watching the outcasts bond together and try to make it on their own and I liked the way this movie went about it. The characters are all fun together, each putting on a tough front to hide the fact that they are just young boys with no real idea what they’re doing. Some are more successful at keeping this tough front than others, but no one can keep it up forever. A scene I liked in particular, was when Two of the boys decided to leave our main characters behind. The way the boys look so uncomfortable holding the gun almost afraid to use it and the juvenile stone throwing at the end of the scene, perfectly show that these boys are in over their head and nowhere near mature enough to handle their current situation.
It's shot gorgeously by Gordon Willis, most famous for his work on The Godfather movies. The way he captures the west was so unique and wonderful to see. So big and empty. Colorless and brown. Despite its extreme brown color, the movie never looks dull, it just feels cold and lifeless in a way that adds to the movie. The nature surrounding these boys is harsh and empty and not somewhere to live. Together with Harvey Schmidt’s wonderful but simple piano score, the movie really accomplished an atmosphere unlike any other western. Much more toned down, realistic, barren and cold. Though I must say, while I loved the piano score, I felt it couldn’t quite keep up with some of the more exciting scenes in the movie, like the forest shootout near the end.
The performances are probably my favorite part of the movie though. Bridges has always been someone who I’ve been a big fan of and here he gives another great performance. He’s charismatic at the right moments, but also juvenile or hot headed at others. His character was to me the most interesting. Though obviously caring for the other boys, as apparent with him making sure Drew keeps his watch, yet he always puts himself first and he’s far too immature to have the responsibility of others at hand. While I loved Bridges and his character, Barry Brown as the main character might’ve given my favorite performance. He’s a great lead and was a joy to watch, always bringing some kinda misguided hope to the movie, which worked wonderfully for his character. I was therefore extremely sad to hear that he took his own life at the young age of 27.
Overall I thought the movie was a wonderful depiction of a different west than we are used to. All elements of the movie work together perfectly to craft an underrated little western. I liked the ending, with Drew staying with Jake, fully aware of his life and with the possibility of a more sensible life right there. Despite not being perfect their friendship was key to this movie and obviously to the characters as they finally found someone who gets them and choosing to stick with each other instead of facing a life and society they don’t want. It’s an immature decision on both their parts no doubt but that’s what they are and it felt a fitting end for the characters. Good movie
Since I was around 6 I’ve wanted to watch this movie, so yeah quite a while. It may seem like a very random movie to want to watch and it is, however there’s a reason. Having been a big movie fan since the day I was born due to my dad also being one, I often looked through my dads movie books. One especially I loved “reading through”; 501 must see movies (2004? edition). Being a big western fan even back then, the western section of the book was probably the one I most often looked through. In that section Bad Company was included as one of the movies accompanied with some text and an image. Since the book was in english and I was a little young kid, I obviously couldn’t read the text and I didn’t care either, but I could look at the image and boy did I. I’m not sure what caught my attention about the image as it’s not particularly exciting, just some dirty looking boys standing around, one of them with a gun. Nevertheless something about that image excited me. I’d often pretend to act out the events of the movie based solely on that single image. So fair to say I managed to create many storylines all based around that image.
Growing Older I kind of forgot about the image, however occasionally I’d revisit the book and my excitement for that movie would come back. Eventually I learned what it was actually about, and which actors starred in it, who the director was and so on, but I never watched it. Maybe I was too scared to watch it, having built so many ideas in my head, but the point is I never did even though I really really wanted to. Before watching it today it was perhaps the movie I’ve been excited to watch for the longest time. So I’m glad I was finally pushed to watch it ! Because it was GOOD.
It was never gonna be what I had played out in my head all those years ago, so of course I’d have to level my expectations somewhat, because despite having a long relationship with this movie, I didn’t really know much about it. The story about young boys joining together, feeling overwhelmed by society and war is as old as ever. It’s an endearing tale watching the outcasts bond together and try to make it on their own and I liked the way this movie went about it. The characters are all fun together, each putting on a tough front to hide the fact that they are just young boys with no real idea what they’re doing. Some are more successful at keeping this tough front than others, but no one can keep it up forever. A scene I liked in particular, was when Two of the boys decided to leave our main characters behind. The way the boys look so uncomfortable holding the gun almost afraid to use it and the juvenile stone throwing at the end of the scene, perfectly show that these boys are in over their head and nowhere near mature enough to handle their current situation.
It's shot gorgeously by Gordon Willis, most famous for his work on The Godfather movies. The way he captures the west was so unique and wonderful to see. So big and empty. Colorless and brown. Despite its extreme brown color, the movie never looks dull, it just feels cold and lifeless in a way that adds to the movie. The nature surrounding these boys is harsh and empty and not somewhere to live. Together with Harvey Schmidt’s wonderful but simple piano score, the movie really accomplished an atmosphere unlike any other western. Much more toned down, realistic, barren and cold. Though I must say, while I loved the piano score, I felt it couldn’t quite keep up with some of the more exciting scenes in the movie, like the forest shootout near the end.
The performances are probably my favorite part of the movie though. Bridges has always been someone who I’ve been a big fan of and here he gives another great performance. He’s charismatic at the right moments, but also juvenile or hot headed at others. His character was to me the most interesting. Though obviously caring for the other boys, as apparent with him making sure Drew keeps his watch, yet he always puts himself first and he’s far too immature to have the responsibility of others at hand. While I loved Bridges and his character, Barry Brown as the main character might’ve given my favorite performance. He’s a great lead and was a joy to watch, always bringing some kinda misguided hope to the movie, which worked wonderfully for his character. I was therefore extremely sad to hear that he took his own life at the young age of 27.
Overall I thought the movie was a wonderful depiction of a different west than we are used to. All elements of the movie work together perfectly to craft an underrated little western. I liked the ending, with Drew staying with Jake, fully aware of his life and with the possibility of a more sensible life right there. Despite not being perfect their friendship was key to this movie and obviously to the characters as they finally found someone who gets them and choosing to stick with each other instead of facing a life and society they don’t want. It’s an immature decision on both their parts no doubt but that’s what they are and it felt a fitting end for the characters. Good movie
