SVS: “Silverado”

Last updated on: January 8, 2015 at 4:46 pm by Joseph Susanka

SVS: “Silverado” 2015-01-08T16:46:00-07:00 Joseph Susanka

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Remember a few weeks ago when I recommended The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, even though I wasn’t quite sure why I love it so much?

Well, today’s I’m recommending another Western. But this time, I know exactly why I love it. It’s not groundbreaking. It’s not profound. It’s not particularly “Influential” or “Complicated” or “Inspiring” or “Highly Regarded.”

It’s just an insane amount of fun. And the day I can’t get on board with “nothing more than an insane amount of fun” is the day I stop watching movies.

So, I’m layin’ my cards on the table. Silverado is on NETFLIX INSTANT.

Two brothers, ex-prisoner Emmett (Scott Glenn) and current prisoner Jake (Kevin Costner), team up with a butcher named Mal (Danny Glover) and Paden (Kevin Kline), a man left to die in the desert by outlaws, to take on the crooked sheriff (Brian Dennehy) of Silverado. Their families, who all live in the New Mexico town, depend on their heroics. Jeff Goldblum co-stars in director Lawrence Kasdan’s classic Western with an Oscar-nominated score.

Lest I seem too dismissive above, though, let me be clear: This is a great Western.

It’s got a great, quip-filled script (easily one of the most-quoted films of my upper-childhood, and quite possibly Kasdan’s finest hour); great performances (especially if you love a wonderfully menacing Brian Dennehy or a manic Kevin Costner taking himself just seriously enough or Danny “Growling” Glover or a smarmy Jeff Goldblum or John Cleese or THE ENTIRE CAST IS AWESOME!); great set-pieces (including the opening scene — still one of the most attention-grabbing I’ve ever seen, and the perfect tone-setter for everything that follows); and a great, great score (from the days when Broughton was known for his music rather than run-ins with the Academy).

It’s great, great fun. And you could do worse on a Friday evening; much, much worse.

…but not, perhaps, a whole lot better. Enjoy!Attribution(s): Posters, publicity images, and movie stills are the property of Columbia-Now-Sony Pictures, and other respective production studios and distributors, and are intended for editorial use only.

Movies

Streaming Video Suggestions

Previous Post

March 6, 2014

One of the Best Baseball Stories EVER Is Finally Over

Next Post

March 8, 2014 The Stunning Images of Andrei Tarkovsky's "Stalker"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Baseball Faith Family Lenten Music Movies Music No Commentary Necessary Parked By the Jukebox Photography Politics Quodlibets Streaming Video Suggestions Summa Short Films Television The Man Behind the Booth Through a Lens, Darkly

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 July 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 November 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz