“Million Ways to Die in the West” amuses mature viewers

By Abby Shade,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

At first glance, A Million Ways to Die in the West, seems like just another dumb “guy movie.” However, despite the crude humor that only Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane can get away with, the raunchy western has a very sweet undertone.

Seth Macfarlane is the writer, producer and star of the film. While his trademark humor is ever-present, it doesn’t completely consume the plot-line.

Macfarlane plays an adorkable sheep farmer named Albert who is dumped by his girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) when he wimps out of a gun fight. Depressed and alone, Macfarlane is ready to leave the deadly West when the lovely and intriguing Anna (Charlize Theron) pops into his life. Anna, unbeknownst to Albert, is married to the deadliest gunman in the country, Clinch (Liam Neeson).

An unlikely friendship is formed between Albert and Anna, and they embark on an adventure filled with guns, sheep, a brothel, and some special baked goodies. The characters, although not particularly multidimensional, are extremely likeable and the star-studded cast does a wonderful job of supporting and adding to each other’s performances.

While the dialect isn’t completely historically accurate, and the entire cast has way better teeth than anyone should ever have, much less people in the wild west, the modern twist is just what the movie needs to stay relevant and hilarious.

Many of the jokes are blatantly sexual, so if you want to catch this flick in theatres, grab an older friend or sibling, NOT a parent. A good deal of the jokes are also pretty racist, but Macfarlane does a great job of using humor to reveal the ridiculousness of racism in any time period. He also makes sure to insult every group, minority and otherwise, in the film, so that no one can feel singularly attacked for too long. If ridicule is not your kind of humor however, you may want to find a different movie.

Definitely see this in theatres though, as I guarantee it will be funnier in a theatre full of laughing people. This movie will illicite many an unsuccessfully contained snort and maybe even a few tears of laughter. If nothing else, the star-studded cast can’t be beat, with appearances from Ryan Reynolds, Jamie Foxx and Neil Patrick Harris sporting an impressive moustache.

Ultimately, A Million Ways to Die in the West is a light-hearted film that will make even the grouchiest grump crack a smile. Monty Python lovers everywhere may get a rush of nostalgia as fake blood, goofy songs, and poop jokes grace the big screen again. Even if you don’t normally go for this kind of movie, A Million Ways has something for everyone, and it might just surprise you. I definitely left this movie with a newfound love for Seth Macfarlane.