A Million Ways to Die in the West

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Christopher Hagen, Wes Studi
Directed by: Seth MacFarlane
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Western
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A coward (Seth MacFarlane) loses his love (Amanda Seyfried) but befriends a gunfighter (Charlize Theron) who teaches him to be brave.

Review:

Tim: While A Million Ways to Die in the West is certainly a funny movie, but it's probably not as funny as it could have been. I know some people criticized it, but I think that's more an issue with Seth MacFarlane than an accurate assessment of the film. Some of the gags are predictable and recycled, but this was still a fairly entertaining movie. We don't get a whole lot of Western comedies, so the relative novelty of the film was an added bonus for me.

As I watched the end of the film, I did what I always do- I get a bit introspective and consider what I thought and felt about the film. I could certainly point to a number of flaws throughout the film and could criticize it for some unoriginality. However, despite its flaws, I realized I just had a fun time watching the movie. The colors, the cinematography, the harmless jokes, the characters- it all came together in a way that might not be great, but was fairly enjoyable. While I admit this movie should have been funnier, it's still a film I had great fun watching.

I like the concept of basing this movie around the idea that the West was a dangerous, horrible place to live. That's certainly true by today's standards and it gives MacFarlane ample comedic opportunity. Many elements of the film have been done in Westerns before, so the predictability of the story does hurt the movie a bit. Still, there's enough to like about the film to make up for many of its flaws.

I know there's a number of viewers who believe Seth MacFarlane is better behind the camera and doing voice work than being in front of the camera himself. I don't necessarily agree with that statement. MacFarlane has presence and while his voice is outstanding and unforgettable, I think he could continue to star in his own films. He's goofy, but in a nonthreatening way. I liked him in this film. Charlize Theron was wonderfully cast and she gives a very laid back, fun performance. Sometimes she comes across as a bit uptight in films, so it was great to see her in a more relaxed role. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed her performance here. Liam Neeson was fun as the villain. I always like seeing Giovanni Ribisi and once again, his dancing makes me laugh. Sarah Silverman was a good addition to the cast, although she doesn't have a whole lot to do. MacFarlane could have used her more effectively. I don't love Amanda Seyfried and she didn't do much for me her. She has an unlikeable role, which is a challenge, but she didn't do anything special. I always like seeing Neil Patrick Harris, although I wish he were given meatier roles. Still, as a whole, the cast is very, very strong.

I thought the humor was good in the film. MacFarlane is a funny guy and relies on a wide variety of different gags in the film. He has no problem going to the extremely disgusting for a joke and I admit some of the poop and fart jokes made me laugh. He does a few physical gags as well, and while a few were predictable (the shooting the bottles, for example), it was still entertaining to watch. I liked the way MacFarlane threw in a few pop culture references as well- the Back to the Future: Part III scene made me laugh out loud, even though the trailers gave the gag away. The movie used musical numbers appropriately. I was shocked at how catchy "If You Only Got a Mustache" was. While this movie wasn't as endlessly quotable as some of the best comedies, the writing was fairly strong and the movie delivered some great lines. While it certainly could have been funnier and could have used a few more signature comedic moments, this is still a pretty entertaining comedy.

There's a reason why people don't make a lot of Western comedies and I believe the box office for A Million Ways to Die in the West suffered because of that. However, I have to give MacFarlane credit- after directing the blockbuster Ted, he easily could have played it safe. Doing a comedy Western was certainly not the safe play. I appreciate ambitious efforts. While this film could have been better, it's still a very solid effort from a guy directing only his second feature film. I enjoyed this movie and consider it a worthwhile film. It's no Blazing Saddles, but it's a fun movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Ted, Blazing Saddles