'A Million Ways to Die in the West' Review

A Million Ways to Die in the West

No doubt, there’s a market for films like A Million Ways to Die in the West and longtime MacFarlane fans (as well as raunch-comedy lovers) should find plenty to enjoy in the Western spoof.

A Million Ways to pop off in the Westfollows loveable ( and sarcastic ) sheep farmer   Albert Stark   ( Seth MacFarlane ) , as he attempts to get his life together after being   dumped by his girlfriend , Louise ( Amanda Seyfried ) . While Louise   suggests she involve prison term to " work on herself , " it is n’t long before she begins working   on well - to - do business enterprise man and moustache aficionado , Foy   ( Neil Patrick Harris ) - adding further frustration to Albert ’s already negatively charged view of spirit on   the Arizona frontier . discontentment with the rigors of life ( as well as jeopardy of death ) in the Old West , and without anyone   one but his effective friend Edward   ( Giovanni Ribisi ) and a set of   crusty parents to keep him in Old Stump , Albert   begin plot   a move to San Francisco - until fate intervenes .

After Albert saves fledgeling Anna ( Charlize Theron ) during a bar fight , the   mystifying ( and tough ) new   woman   take aim an interestingness in her sheep farming   deliverer - promising to help Albert win back the heart of Louise if he agrees to remain in Old Stump . However , it is n’t long before Albert begins to forget about Louise , realizing that Anna is his rightful sexual love - that is until her outlaw husband , Clinch Leatherwood ( Liam Neeson ) , suddenly come along in town thirsty for   revenge .

Known best for his work create , writing , and voicing animated series ( includingThe Cleveland Show , Family Guy , andAmerican Dad ) , Seth MacFarlane has spent a significant   amount of time behind the photographic camera - with only modest guest appearances on   unrecorded - action TV . Two year back , the filmmaker take a bold step into feature film aim withTed- the critically - spat level of Mark Wahlberg and an   unsavoury CGI   teddy bear . Now , MacFarlane is stepping outside his animate comforter zona once again , with a star use in   his own Western farce , A Million Ways to Die in the West . The result is a somewhat mixed bag : while MacFarlane is o.k.   in the leading persona , the gravid   film   does n’t excel   beyond standard commonness comedy bits   woven together by   a conversant   and developing   fib of ego - empowerment .

In general , A Million Ways to perish in the Westis a harmless collection of chuckle - worthy gags   that should please theFamily Guycrowd , but fall short of capturing the same heart and laugh - out - flashy moments that madeTeda impinge on . Without enquiry , the film borrow heavily from satire   great ( especially   Mel Brooks ) , present a solid ludicrous fib   told from the linear perspective of a disillusioned and hyper - aware protagonist . Still , while there are traces of drollery enormousness inA Million Ways to go bad in the West , MacFarlane miss the same control as his funniness heroes , often lease the low road to laugh with overindulgent   raunchy   jokes .

The approach might work onFamily Guy , but MacFarlane presents   the fib of   Albert   and Anna with a bit more unassumingness . As a result , in a movie   that conspicuously features upright sheep genitals and a derby hat brimming with diarrhea , it ’s a rough disconnect when the movie maker   attempts to force tender   moments onto   cartoonish   characters living in   a flippant   Western world .

Nevertheless , MacFarlane ’s ego - described " nerd " booster is an entertaining focal point -   thanks to a subtle   juxtaposition of forward-looking daylight colloquials and sensibility in a movie that otherwise commits to its 19th century mise en scene . leave Albert ( and Anna ) more or less more awareness than the rest of the cast , the film maker successfully reflects   on the   oddity and absurdity   of the time period - without violating the heart and soul premise . For that reason , MacFarlane and Theron pass most of their time prod fun at old timey photos , Victorian ball nightgown , and racial stereotypes - whereas the rest of the cast is expected to play their imitation with a straightforward face .

Liam Neeson phones - in with his beneficial mental picture of a movie outlaw ,   but Giovanni Ribisi and   Sarah Silverman chew up the scene as loving couple , Edward and Ruth , who are face with the timeless challenge of balancing career destination   and a relationship - made even more complicated by the fact that   Ruth is a ( very meddlesome ) saloon prostitute . Amanda Seyfried extend an amusing turn as a shallow 1880s   girl speaking   in familiar   21st C platitudes , but Neil Patrick Harris steals most of Seyfried ’s scenes as an   ostentatious   ( albeit moneymaking )   facial hair   entrepreneur and overall prick - who   also happen to slip in aHow I Met Your Mothereaster bollock .

No doubt , there ’s a market for moving picture likeA Million Ways to Die in the Westand longtime MacFarlane fans ( as well as vulgarism - comedy lover ) should chance plenty to relish in the Western spoof . A quality   plaster bandage and a storyline rife with knife - in - impudence located composition make the movie an easy recommendation for watcher who will be satisfied by   an undemanding   cosmic string of westerly - animate antics - get up by some enjoyable cameos and a few brief here and now of bite irony .

That said , for moviegoers that expect   a chip more , A Million Ways to Die in the Westwill be   short on laugh - out - meretricious drollery musical rhythm - while also failing to   see the " heart " that made   similar genre farces likeBlazing Saddlestimeless clowning classics .

Seth MacFarlane and Charlize Theron in ‘A Million Ways to Die in the West’

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Neil Patrick Harris and Amanda Seyfried in ‘A Million Ways to Die in the West’

A Million Ways to conk in the Westruns 116   minutes and is Rated gas constant for hard rock oil and sexual content , language throughout , some vehemence and drug fabric . Now toy in theater .

lease us   bonk what you thought of the film in the input section below . For an   in - depth discussion of the film by the Screen Rant editors check out back shortly for ourMillion Ways to Die in the Westepisode   of theSR Underground podcast .

In A Million Ways to Die in the West , Seth MacFarlane write , directs , and hotshot . This Western drollery pic follows a farm worker named Albert who has no desire to take place in duels or pursue in the masculine outlook of a frontiersman . But when a young expert gunslinger named Anna get in township and trains him to defend himself and become a better slam , Albert begins to find the bravery he ’s always miss - just in time to defend himself from Anna ’s jealous outlaw husband .

Giovanni Ribisi and Sarah Silverman in ‘A Million Ways to Die in the West’