Release Date: October 11, 2013 (limited)
Studio: ARC Entertainment
Director: Logan Miller
Screenwriter: Logan Miller, Noah Miller
Starring: January Jones, Ed Harris, Jason Isaacs, Eduardo Noriega, Stephen Root
Genre: Thriller, Western
MPAA Rating: R (for strong violence, language, some sexual content and graphic nudity)
Official Website: Not Available
Review: 6/10
In the late 1800’s, a beautiful former prostitute (January Jones, “Mad Men”) is trying to build an honest life with her husband in the rugged plains of New Mexico. When she catches the eye of a sadistic and powerful religious leader (Jason Isaacs, “Harry Potter” series), her life is violently turned upside down. She embarks on a bloody course of vengeance with the assistance of a renegade sheriff (Ed Harris, “Pollock,” “The Hours,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Apollo 13”) who has pretty violent tendencies of his own.
There are ways for women to overcome their physical inferiority to men. The heroine of this film, played by January Jones, somehow learns it, and carries out her plans with a vengeance. The film later becomes an absurd but fun ride like “Red Eye” with its female lead replaced by another pretty blond, and set in the spectacular backdrop of the wild, wild New Mexico.
Jones is clearly not gunning for major awards here, and striking deep emotions is apparently not a requirement for her part. She needs to look sassy and resolute in her cute costume, and she sufficiently delivers within that realm.
Ed Harris is fantastic as a lunatic sheriff. The performances by the rest of the supporting cast are also sound, especially by Jason Isaacs.
Country music heartthrob Jason Aldean is naturally menacing as the bad guy’s right hand man. He has a reasonable shot at a moonlighting career in movies of this genre outside his day job as a singer.
“Sweetwater” will surely rub old school Western fans the wrong way, but if you are open-minded about crossing formats, you just might find this popcorn Western a perfect pastime.movieboxoffices.wordpress.com
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