Dead for a Dollar | A classic western, but contemporary!

In 1897, a New Mexico bounty hunter is hired by a jealous husband to find his wife, who has fled the marital home. On his way, the bounty hunter finds a professional player recently released from prison, in love with revenge…

Marc-Andre Lussier
The Press

This new feature film by Walter Hill, to whom the Festival du nouveau cinéma de Montréal is paying homage, will certainly delight fans of westerns, especially since we find in this film formidable performances by Christoph Waltz and Willem Dafoe, without forget that of Rachel Brosnahan, who portrays a strong female character.

Beyond the visual aspect, splendid, Dead for a Dollar is distinguished by this way of using the classic codes of a genre associated with the ancient history of American cinema, while modernizing it from the inside. As a way to promote the western by taking a traditional approach, while taking into account the evolution of society, in particular by echoing the affirmation of women, as well as by aiming for a better representation of human diversity.

With an excellent cast, the filmmaker orchestrates a story punctuated by good dialogues, which converges, of course, towards the expected final confrontation. Christoph Waltz and Willem Dafoe, who play sworn enemies here, are obviously having a lot of fun, in a film from which emanates the still strong passion that Walter Hill feels for the genre.

Note that Dead for a Dollar is screened on October 7 at the Festival du nouveau cinema de Montréal. This film is also available on various platforms, including Apple TV (iTunes), Cineplex, Cogeco, Bell, Telus, Rogers, Microsoft and Google Play.

Western

Dead for a Dollar

Walter Hill

With Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe, Rachel Brosnahan

1:31 a.m.
At the FNC and on video on demand

7/10