The Kid (2019 film)
The Kid | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Vincent D'Onofrio |
Screenplay by | Andrew Lanham |
Story by |
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Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Matthew J. Lloyd |
Edited by | Katharine McQuerrey |
Music by | |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Lionsgate Films[1] |
Release date |
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Running time | 100 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $7 million[2] |
Box office | $1.6 million[3] |
The Kid is a 2019 American semi-biographical western action film directed by Vincent D'Onofrio, from a screenplay by Andrew Lanham. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Dane DeHaan, Jake Schur, Leila George, Chris Pratt, Adam Baldwin, and D'Onofrio,[4][5][6][7] and centers around Rio Cutler who forms an unlikely alliance with local sheriff Pat Garrett and infamous outlaw Billy the Kid in a mission to rescue his sister Sara from Grant Cutler, the boy’s thuggish uncle and gang leader.
The Kid was released in the United States on March 8, 2019, by Lionsgate Films.
Plot
Rio Cutler (Jake Schur) explains that he killed his father one night when his father drunkenly beat his mother to death. His uncle Grant Cutler (Chris Pratt) hears the gunshot and comes into the house. Furious at his brother's murder, he attacks Rio. Rio stabs him in the face with a shard of glass and he and his sister Sara (Leila George) escape. She steals a horse and they take shelter in a shack they find; they intend to meet their mother's friend in Santa Fe.
When they wake, they are greeted by Billy the Kid (Dane DeHaan) and his gang. Rio shows Billy a picture of his mother and Billy reveals that he also killed his father in defense of his mother. When one of the gang goes outside to check on the horses, Sheriff Pat Garrett (Ethan Hawke) and his officers shoot him. A gunfight ensues in which Billy tries to lasso his horse to escape, but Garrett shoots the horse and takes them prisoner. Sara tells Rio not to go outside, because he will be hanged if he reveals he killed their father. Seeing this as a chance to get safely to Santa Fe, Rio runs outside; he and Sara tell Garrett that their mother died and they were separated from their father while they all traveled to Santa Fe. Garrett seems suspicious but takes them along.
They stop at a ranch inhabited by Mexicans where they leave the body of the man they shot. Billy sees his lover and promises to return. While Billy antagonizes Garrett during dinner, Rio slips him some butter and he escapes from his shackles, threatening to kill a deputy. Garrett produces a gun and threatens one of his gang, and the situation is diffused. Later, Garrett tells Rio about the first man he killed and asks him if he has anything he wants to tell him, but Rio says no.
When they get to Santa Fe, the sheriff (Vincent D'Onofrio) insists on taking Billy in addition to Dave, another member of Billy's gang. Sensing hostility, Garrett commandeers a stagecoach and hastily leaves town. Rio and Sara slip away and find their mother's friend in a dance hall. They have been set up by Grant, who ambushes them. He tells them their mother was also a whore, and for killing his brother he's taking Sara as his whore. He turns Rio out on the street and takes Sara. Rio sees Dave about to be hung and takes a letter from Billy, which claims Billy knows where his sister is. Rio gets a gun and goes to the jail to visit Billy, but a deputy turns him away. To get into the jail, Rio half-heartedly robs a bank and is shot by another deputy. In jail, Rio and Billy plot to escape. Garrett once again asks Rio if he has anything to tell him, and he again says no.
Billy escapes by attacking his guard during a trip to the outhouse; when the guard runs, Billy shoots him. He gets the keys to his shackles and frees Rio. They take a horse and return to the Mexican ranch; Billy promises to help find his sister. At the ranch, Billy finds out his lover is pregnant and ignores Rio's pleads to help with his sister. Garrett catches up with Billy at the ranch and kills him. Realizing Billy could not have helped him, Rio tells Garrett the truth about his father and his sister. They go to a whorehouse and Rio looks for Sara while Garrett encounters Grant. Grant tells Garrett about a time he saw his brother engaging in incest; when he told his father, he beat him harshly and told him to keep his mouth shut. Rio emerges with Sara and Grant ends up taking Rio; Garrett fights a man who raped Sara but Sara shoots him.
Garrett chases Grant outside and he threatens to kill Rio if he isn't let go. Garrett tells Grant that witnesses will attest to how he ran off like a coward. Grant says they know it isn't true, but Garrett says only the story they tell matters, not the truth. Garrett challenges Grant to a fair gunfight, which he accepts. Sara emerges from the saloon suddenly, distracting Garrett. Grant makes his move but Rio shoots him in the head. As Sara and Rio ride off from Santa Fe, he encourages her to be strong as she once did for him.
Cast
- Ethan Hawke as Sheriff Pat Garrett
- Dane DeHaan as Billy "The Kid" Bonney
- Jake Schur as Rio Cutler
- Leila George as Sara Cutler
- Chris Pratt as Grant Cutler
- Adam Baldwin as Bob Olinger
- Vincent D'Onofrio as Sheriff Romero
- Keith Jardine as Paul Jankowski
- Chris Bylsma as Charlie Bowdre
- Clint Obenchain as Tom Pickett
- Chad Dashnaw as Dave Rudabaugh
- Charlie Chappell as Billy Wilson
- Joseph Santos as James W. Bell
- Hawk D'Onofrio as Oran Moler
- Jenny Gabrielle as Mirabel
Production
Development
In April 2017, Vincent D'Onofrio was announced to be directing and starring in the film as Sheriff Romero.[5] In July 2017, Dane DeHaan was cast as Billy the Kid.[6] In August 2017, it was revealed that Chris Pratt would appear in the film.[4] In September 2017, Jake Schur was cast in the title role.[8]
Filming
In October 2017, filming began in the Santa Fe, New Mexico area.[9]
Release
The Kid was released in the United States on March 8, 2019, by Lionsgate Films.[10][11] The first trailer debuted on February 21, 2019.[11]
Critical response
According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 45% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 40 reviews, with an average rating of 5.37/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Well-framed, well-cast, and well-intentioned, The Kid still largely fails to set itself apart from the multitude of other westerns covering similar territory."[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 51 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[13]
References
- ^ Steves, Ashley (October 2, 2017). "Now Casting: Lionsgate's 'The Kid' has a Handful of Background Roles to Choose From + More". Backstage. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ Giroux, Jack (June 10, 2019). "'The Kid' Director Vincent D'Onofrio on His Old School Western and Long, Wild Career [Interview]". /Film. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ "The Kid (2019)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ a b "Pratt will be ba-ack! – NM Film News". NM Film News. August 26, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ a b Harp, Justin; Mozafari, Laurence; Armitage, Hugh (April 24, 2017). "Guardians of the Galaxy's Chris Pratt and Daredevil's Vincent D'Onofrio join forces for a new Western". Digital Spy. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ a b Fleming Jr., Mike (July 19, 2017). "Vincent D'Onofrio Taps 'Valarian's Dane DeHaan to Play Billy the Kid in Suretone Western". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Fleming Jr., Mike (December 3, 2018). "Mimran Schur Takes Co-Fi Stakes in Sony's 'Holmes & Watson' and 'Bloodshot'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
- ^ Fleming Jr., Mike (September 20, 2017). "Vincent D'Onofrio Sets Jake Schur In Title Role Of 'The Kid'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
- ^ Horwath, Justin (October 21, 2017). "D'Onofrio tries a new role: teacher". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
- ^ "2019 RELEASE SCHEDULE". First Showing. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Hipes, Patrick (February 21, 2019). "'The Kid' Trailer: Ethan Hawke Vs. Dane DeHaan In Vincent D'Onofrio's Wild West Tale". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ^ "The Kid (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ "The Kid (2019) Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
External links
- 2019 films
- 2010s action drama films
- 2010s biographical films
- 2010s independent films
- 2010s Western (genre) films
- Action films based on actual events
- American action films
- American biographical films
- American films
- American independent films
- American thriller drama films
- American Western (genre) films
- English-language films
- Films about Billy the Kid
- Films shot in New Mexico
- Lions Gate Entertainment films
- Patricide in fiction
- Uxoricide in fiction