The Kid (2019)

Rio Cutler (Jake Schur) shoots his father as he’s in the process of beating Rio’s mother to death. Then he escapes a vengeful uncle with his older sister Sara in tow.

Rio, just 13, and Sara (Leila George) take refuge in an abandoned shack, only to find that it’s also being used as a hideout by Billy the Kid (Dean DeHaan) and his gang.

When Pat Garrett (Ethan Hawke) and his large posse show up, everyone’s taken into custody, Rio and Sara included. The teens lie about why they’re lost and on the run.

Next stop: Sante Fe, where Rio and Sara expect to find a friend of their mother’s. And during a dispute between lawmen over where Billy will be tried — and likely hung — Rio and Sara are able to slip away from Garrett.

But instead of finding help, they run into the uncle (Chris Pratt). He kidnaps Sara, promising to make her his “whore” and promising to kill Rio if he ever sees him again.

Rio comes to see Billy the Kid as his best chance of rescuing Sara.

But Billy the Kid is being held in the Lincoln County jail. And, sure enough, he has a date with a hangman’s noose.

Review:

So here we have the story of two abused teens in search for a fresh started intertwined with the legend of Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett.

The result is a film that’s less than the sum of it’s part.

We get solid performances from the entire cast and a film that, unlike so many newer Westerns, doesn’t scream low budget.

But if the focus is supposed to be on young Rio and the plight of his sister … well, the oft-told and often better told story of Billy takes center stage for a large part of the film.

Oh, and there’s an absolutely groan-worthy scene where Dave Rudabuagh, en route to the gallows, is able to pass a letter from Billy along to Rio.

Director D’Onofrio has a small part as a lawman who wants Billy for his own. The actress in the role of Sara is Leila George, his real-life daughter. This marked the film debut for Jake Schur.

Directed by:
Vincent D’Onofrio

Cast:
Jake Schur … Rio Cutler
Leila George … Sara Cutler
Chris Pratt … Grant Cutler
Dane DeHaan … Billy “The Kid” Bonney
Ethan Hawke … Sheriff Pat Garrett
Adam Baldwin … Bob Olinger
Charlie Chappell … Billy Wilson
Clint Obenchain … Tom Pickett
Chris Bylsma … Charlie Bowdre
Chad Dashnaw … Dave Rudabaugh
Benjamin Dickey … Jim East
Tait Fletcher … Bill Cutler
Hawk D’Onofrio … Oran Moler
Diana Navarrete … Manuela
Samantha Zajarias … Paulita Maxwell
Vincent D’Onofrio … Sheriff Romero
Joseph Santos … James Bell

Runtime: 126 min.

Memorable lines:

Rio Cutler: “I read they’re gonna get you.”
Billy Bonney: “Not if I get ’em first.”

Pat Garrett to Rio: “A man’s wrongs matter. But there’s nothing as important as what he does next.”

Sarah Cutler to her brother, Rio: “If you ever confess, your life’s over.”

Billy Bonney: “You know, sometimes gettin’ what we wants comes with things that ain’t so nice for other folks. Have you thought about if that’s the kind of thing you’re ready for?”

Bob Olinger to Pat Garrett: “Boss, there’s as much a chance of him escaping as there is of him going to heaven after we send him to hell.”

Pat Garrett, of Billy Bonney: “It’s tough to know how dumb you are when you’re not scared of nothin’.”

Pat Garrett to Grant Cutler: “I just killed a man who was once my friend. That was hard. Killing you is gonna be easy.”