ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Wuchak Released in 2003, "Monte Walsh" chronicles the mundane adventures the title character (Tom Selleck) & Chet Rollins (Keith Carradine) and other itinerant cowhands in remote Wyoming in 1892-93, with an epilogue taking place in 1900. Times are a changing as Easterners with "capital" are making "conglomerates" of the big ranches and there's not enough work for cowhands to go around. Can these old cowboys adapt to the new century? Isabella Rossellini plays Monte's romantic interest while George Eads and William Devane play Shorty and Brennan respectively.Being made-for-cable (TNT), this newer version of Jack Schaefer's novel lacks the sheen of, say, 2003's "Open Range," but it's not far off in overall quality and shows that a superlative Western can be made on a TV-budget. I've seen the 1970 version, but it was so long ago that I can't compare the two.The movie starts out dull as it shows the everyday life of the cowhands, but I caught a grip with the realistic vibe and was fully immersed into the story by the second half where the story perks up. Besides the realism, I liked the palpable love displayed between Monte and his babe, as well as the subplot of desperate men doing foolish things in desperate times. Monte makes a big mistake when he lets a certain character go when he's caught rustling. He should've made sure he got his just deserts. The story is nigh elegiac in tone as we witness the limited opportunities for these tough Westerners as their way of life is stifled by progress. "Monte Walsh" is akin to similar Westerns like 1967's "Will Penny," which was hampered by its subplot of cartoony villains. "Monte Walsh" has no such flaw.The film runs 117 minutes and was shot in Alberta, Canada.GRADE: B+

gatsby06 This is a made for TV movie? Hmmm, maybe I should try watching more TV.This isn't a "western," this is a work of art. Every element, every line, every character falls into place perfectly, like a work of nature, rather than a mere movie script. I guess one reason is that the pacing, the rhythm is just right.The emotions generated are uncontrived and sincere. The characters have remarkable depth. You really care whether they live or die.And like a true tragedy, you even care when a bad guy dies, having a sense that it is a waste of a life that could, and should have turned out differently.Perhaps what is so remarkable about this movie is that, like High Noon, it does not exactly have a happy ending. It is a sad but extraordinarily beautiful movie.If you haven't seen it, you may even want to buy a copy. I have seen it several times, and I have found it just as beautiful and moving each time. It is worth watching just for the extraordinary cinematography alone.

rykerw1701-1 Selleck has found his post-Magnum PI niche with Westerns, such as Monte Walsh and Quigly Down Under, among others.Selleck delivers a quiet, strong performance. He looks like every cowboy ever wanted to look, and fortunately, he keeps his sometimes too high voice in check. Monte Walsh is a story about times changing and how that impacts the lives of those that need for times to stay the same. It's a character study, not a Cowboys and Indians shoot them up. It does have enough gun play to keep the most traditional Western fan happy, but don't rent it for that. Watch for the great characterization by Selleck, a very good supporting cast, and wonderful cinematography.

nek3387 Extremely accurate historically, this western chronicles the clash of the cowboy culture with 20th century progress - a popular theme in U. S. history. Selleck is excellent as Monte (as he is in most roles!) The production is very accurate, amazingly so for a T V western; "...Dove" was the archetypal western but this comes very close. The bucking bronco in the store typifies, as few other scenes ever have, the battle between the Old West and modern America. The only weak aspect of the story is Shorty's sudden descent from decent cowboy to killer. There's no real justification for this, but it's perhaps meant to further illustrate the death throes of the cowboy profession. Great movie - I recommend it highly.