THE COWBOY WAY

(director: Gregg Champion; screenwriters: Joe Gayton/Rob Thompson/William D. Wittliff/story by Rob Thompson & William D. Wittliff; cinematographer: Dean Semler; editor: Michael Tronick; music: David Newman/Randy Miller; cast: Kiefer Sutherland (Sonny), Woody Harrelson (Pepper), Cara Bruno (Teresa), Joaquin Martinez (Nacho), Ernie Hudson (Officer Sam Shaw), Tomas Milian (Huerta), Dylan McDermott (Stark), Marg Helgenberger (Margarette); Runtime: 102; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producer: Brian Grazer; VCI (Universal); 1994)

“Mildly irritating cowboy tale about modern-day rodeo riders in Manhattan.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Mildly irritating cowboy tale about modern-day rodeo riders in Manhattan. Director Gregg Champion(“Amish Grace”/”14 Hours”/”Miracle Run”) keeps things derivative, coarse and mediocre. It’s based on a story by Rob Thompson & William D. Wittliff. The story writers provide the lazy script. Even the lead performances by the two popular stars stinks, as they offer improv acting and knowing winks at the audience throughout. The bonding between the bickering cowboys is annoying. The action sequences are flat. The story just sucks.

Pepper (Woody Harrelson) and Sonny (Kiefer Sutherland ) have been riding the New Mexico rodeo circuit, but go to Manhattan to try and find their friend Nacho (Joaquin Martinez) who disappeared while searching for his Cuban daughter Teresa (Cara Buono). She was kidnapped by an evil sweatshop owner (Dylan McDermott).

This fish-out-water story, about bumpkin country boys making it in the big city, is even worse than Crocodile’ Dundee, the film it ripped off.

REVIEWED ON 1/21/2016 GRADE: C-     https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/