A Million Ways to Die in the West is A Million Ways to Laugh Everywhere
There’s a saying out West, “rode hard and put up wet!” Loosely, translated, it describes a long, sweaty horse ride, with no after-care for the horse. People apply the expression to lots of different situations, from having a tough day, to an individual’s high-mileage appearance. Without a doubt, it is the perfect way to describe how you’ll feel after you see A Million Ways to Die in the West – rode hard, put up wet.
The film’s onset renders the old west, with scrupulous attention to detail; from the sweeping shots of breathtaking western desert, to the beautifully scored (by Joel McNeely), orchestral cowboy overture. As the first scene unfolds and we get peek at the movie’s central character, Arthur, viewers over the age of forty must momentarily remind themselves they are not watching the reincarnation of Peter Brady, but (instead), Seth McFarlane, who also wrote and directed the film. The resemblance is uncanny, but the association quickly fades, as McFarlane reveals layer after layer of polished acting prowess. In spite of his impressive but construct comedic entertainment resume, his range in this movie is remarkable and surprising, particularly considering his added role as director. McFarlane systematically manipulates the audience into falling in love with Arthur, the gentle, nerdy, inept, sheepherder. In fact, his dramatic acting ability is impressive, particularly when juxtaposed against his comedic expertise. His role is just one of the impeccably cast characters that turn what could be a celluloid bloodbath on the verge of being unpalatable into a seven-course, white-glove service, smorgasbord of laughter and entertainment.
The movie is bulging with anachronisms aplenty in the script, props, and scenes, while balancing itself with pointedly accurate relics; right down to the slightly off-key piano in the saloon. In the saloon, we are sweetly introduced to Arthur’s best friends: sex-worker, Ruth (played to perfection by Sarah Silverman), and her adoring, accepting fiancé, Edward (Giovanni Ribisi). The saloon is home of some of the most bone-breaking, gruesome, fight scenes, too, but the battles are almost caricature, making intensely cringe-worthy moments more tolerable.
Now, if you’re looking for high-brow humor, go see your community theater’s version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” This flick is not for the faint of heart. The outhouse-humor perfumes almost every scene. The entire film is naked, raw, exposed, delicious, Seth McFarlane, but it makes “Ted” look like a Disney cartoon. The overt naughtiness and brutality portrayed in “A Million Ways to Die in the West” tap into deep, carnal, primal triggers – it’s like the kind of kinky sex we’re not “supposed” to like…but we, in truth, do! McFarlane not only challenges us to look at the comedy, sexuality, ruthlessness, and recesses of taboo, but demands us to address, embrace, and (somehow), publicly enjoy it.
The movie finds validation in prominent performances from Academy Award nominated and winning actors like Charlize Theron, (the ballsy but compassionate, sharp-shooting, Anna), Amanda Seyfried (Arthur’s prissy ex-girlfriend), Liam Neeson (as dangerous villain, Clinch, whom you’ll love to hate), and Neil Patrick Harris (as Foy, the irritating antagonist, begging for his due comeuppance). The chemistry between the characters is flawless. Combined with some fun cameos, McFarlane is supported in his irreverence in a world where, today, reverence is often shoved down our throats. A Million Ways to Die in the West is intoxicating and endearing as it moves seamlessly from crass to romantic.
McFarlane dares not only to say, but also to do what most of us are thinking or want to do, but don’t have the stones to say or do, ourselves. He is the devil’s playful advocate, cloaking our shame with laughter. He brings romance to a gun-slinging montage, pays homage to long-standing McFarlane works without being self-indulgent, and tips his hat to the comedic geniuses who came before him. The movie is colorful, musical, dance- and action-filled, hilarious, sweet, romantic, dusty, and dirty, with walk-ons continuing past the rolling credits. Grab a friend or date, go see it, laugh your head off. You can always work the rest out in therapy!