Good westerns used to be a dime a dozen--but we just don't see many anymore. When we do, they're usually not taken seriously (ie Sam Raimi's hilarious spaghetti western The Quick and the Dead). Costner is no stranger to this genre. He did, after all, team with director Lawrence Kasdan for the surprisingly disappointing Wyatt Earp. (Coincidentally, a lively Costner also appeared in Kasdan's Silverado). And no one needs to be reminded that Mr. Costner made his directorial debut with the stunning Dances With Wolves. With this new western, the actor has directed for the third time (the second was the stunningly awful The Postman). And despite a deliberately slow pace, Open Range really works because of a fantastic Robert Duvall, an authentic approach to the material, and one of the most spectacular shoot-out sequences ever caught on film.

In Open Range, Duvall and Costner play free range partners. One is a weathered old veteran while the other has a past he's trying to forget. These two old school cowboys are the best of friends and share a deep, mutual respect for one another. Trouble ensues when one of Duvall and Costner's four man crew, gets into trouble in a town where the law doesn't take kindly to "free rangers." A tragic set of events lead Costner and Duvall to this town where hostility begins to boil and a romance begins to blossom.

Costner the actor hasn't changed all that much. He isn't a very dynamic performer, but then in this case, he really isn't supposed to be. At the very least, he never overplays the role. Duvall is a seasoned pro and he effortlessly delivers his dialogue.. As I watched him glide across the screen, I couldn't help but think how cool it would be to see his character in a film with the cowboy Chris Cooper plays in the stunning Seabiscuit. Annette Bening is an absolute beauty, and even though her character is underwritten, she has a vitality and luminous glow that makes her role bigger than it actually is. There are also fantastic supporting turns from Michael Jeter (who sadly passed away not too long ago), Michael Gambon and Abraham Benrubi (of TV's E.R.).

What really took me by surprise in this picture is how understated it is. After the cringe inducing self indulgence that was The Postman, I didn't think that Costner could be capable of something so restrained and poetic. This isn't to say that Open Range is the perfect movie. There are things that do feel underdeveloped, particularly the relationship that takes root between Costner and an independent and lonely nurse played by the wonderful Annette Bening. And as amazing as Duvall is in this picture, there are too many scenes in which the actor rambles on a little too much.

The screenplay isn't interested in moving like a bullet train. Instead, it's extremely patient-- allowing us to get to know who these cowboys are. Sure, Costner's rough past is obvious, and yes, it's hard to shake the obvious shades of Unforgiven in Open Range, but I admired this movie for it's classy and realistic depiction of the cowboy lifestyle. Some of this stuff may be hard for some audiences to handle. Some of my friends and colleagues had real issues with this picture. One of the big complaints I've heard involves these cowboys' love and fondness for pets. True, there is a lot of dog and horse talk in this picture, but what do you want? It's a western. We're talking about an era in which people looked at the things in their lives much differently.

I haven't even touched on the breathtaking shoot out sequence that everyone has been talking about. What sets it apart from the numerous bullet-bouts in other movies is it's grittiness and realism. This isn't Costner and Duvall Vs. a thousand bad ass villains. This is a perfectly staged gun fight in which we see exhaustion, bullets and bloodshed, but not once does any of this stuff glamorize violence nor does it play as an over-the-top, macho, action for action's sake kind of a sequence. Costner has expertly crafted a shoot out that ranks up there with the likes of similar such film moments created by Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood. This really is breathtaking stuff.

I walked into Open Range and was fully prepared to hate it. I couldn't stand the ads and had been less than impressed by Costner's recent screen adventures (did anyone see Dragonfly?) Thankfully, I walked out of the theater with a renewed appreciation for Costner. For those who have patience for a character study about real, old fashioned cowboys, look no further than Open Range. In terms of sheer entertainment and beautiful production values, I wouldn't put this at the same level as Seabiscuit, but it's still a terrific film.