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| Scene from Deadwood: The Movie |
For most people, the experience of the HBO series Deadwood can be described as incomplete. Over the course of three seasons, the show embodied one of the finest casts and scripts often penned by the vulgar sentimentalist David Milch. However, its finale came prematurely, producing an ending that at best remains divisive and left audiences unable to recognize it as one of the greatest TV series in history because of that. With director Daniel Minahan behind the camera and 12 years since the series was last heard from, Deadwood: The Movie miraculously rises from an unexpected grave to produce the finale that the series always deserved. In a story about a community being developed from the ground up, it only makes sense that the parting message isn't one of flagrant profanity or sex, but one of a community brought together against corruption so that the little town of Deadwood, South Dakota can live in civility. For as much as the series has aged, the movie embodies everything that's best about the show and presents a story that's provocative, smart, hilarious, and occasionally sad. It's Deadwood forming a conscience, and it's all the better for it.
After 12 years (or in the show's chronology, a solid decade), the first image that audiences are exposed to in Deadwood is one that feels almost too familiar. Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) is atop her horse, drunk, and still creating a grand eulogy for the fallen Wild Bill. He died so long ago on the series that many have since moved on. Yet her slow descent down a mountain just outside of town reveals how many scars are still to be found within the city below. It's festering because of businessmen who can't get along. It's in Al Swearengen's (Ian McShane) failing health as he realizes that his role as town villain is no longer a suitable gig. The world of Deadwood is moving beyond what it was, leading to a new generation of leadership and leaving figures like Wild Bill to be mythical legends. As much as the story to come is obsessed with pointing out how long every character has gone without seeing each other, it's about a reconciliation that is downright optimistic for everyone involved.
In keeping with every TV reunion to exist, the initial appeal is seeing the entire cast through a modern lens. Even the idea of hearing Milch's more polished and refined approach to dialogue has some appeal as the characters slowly introduce themselves over the first half hour. It's bittersweet, especially as some have aged more noticeably than others. Still, for every grey hair that is seen in the series, there's a bigger sense of purpose than the average reunion special. This isn't just a chance to hear Swearengen berate customers with vulgar dexterity. It's a chance to discover who these characters are now that the facade has faded and all that's left are the men and women, placed comfortably in this city. For as much chaos as the series had, things are predominantly calm in Deadwood.
Continuing its trend of being a tad on the cliche western side, it's when the bad guy rolls into town that the story really gets going. While he had a predominant role on the TV series, the threat of George Hearst (Gerald McRaney) has grown in that decade. He's a California Senator and, from the looks of it, he can buy his way out of any court case. He enters town a hero, allowed to ride upon a noble steed and give rousing speeches to the town that he was once considered a criminal in. For those who are skeptical, like Sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), it's only the start of a bigger mystery of why Hearst is back. He is, after all, a tycoon desperate for land and is going after the one stretch that keeps him from connecting sea to shining sea: the land owned by Charlie Utter (Dayton Callie). The mystery that builds from this plot thread is among the most intriguing that Deadwood has produced, especially as it raises moral questions and only thickens the villainy of Hearst's character.
It helps that the massive cast is given plenty to do throughout the story. While it centers around the return of Hearst, there are moments that stop to reflect on what the series meant in the grander vision. It was about creating a town out of nothing, where everyone could come together and share influence. It's something so noble that even Swearengen understood it in spite of his many run-ins with authority. Still, it's the threat of Hearst that gives the movie a bigger meaning. He returns with power, meaning that if the people are dumb enough he could topple everything that's been built towards and create his own little piece of industrial paradise. Even when he cheats, Bullock is there to question him. Had Hearst acted faster in, say, season one of the series, he might've succeeded. Instead, he comes at a point where Deadwood is more stable than it's ever been.
It's true that only so much of what made the series essential could fit into a two-hour running time. However, it's a gigantic miracle that the film not only exists but that it does in such an efficient and entertaining manner. Maybe the nudity has been toned down and the violence is reserved to a few gunfights, but the heart of the series still exists. Milch, whose declining mental health has become noteworthy as of late, miraculously pulls out a script that brings out the best in his characters. More importantly, it's a miracle that this exists in large part because of reassembling a now-famous cast and rebuilding a lot of major set pieces. So much went into simply making this look like the old Deadwood that anything else seems like a happy accident. While some elements may seem a bit off (Weigert's Calamity Jane doesn't have nearly as gruff of a voice), it's largely like a time capsule of performances that have grown and improved over time, capturing what the series needed to be relevant. In a field where most reunions and reboots are left feeling a little discolored, Deadwood: The Movie manages to satisfy by telling a story that doesn't exist solely to pander to fans. It exists to bring to a close a chapter in HBO programming that has long been overdue in its controversy.
Does it work? Provided that it's watched within the context of the show, it's easy to get wrapped up in the use of the word "miracle." For starters, the choice to shift attention towards Hearst as the central foe allows the movie to explore one of the show's villains in far more fascinating details. At times, Deadwood: The Movie's shift into a mystery involving the whole town could serve as its own story, regardless of the bigger context. It's a perfectly streamlined story that is constantly gripping, rich with Milch's poetic dialogue as every character becomes useful to the grander narrative. The film may have had to cut corners due to some deceased cast members, but otherwise, its scope isn't personally damaged. The worst that could be said is that this is only two hours when Deadwood could sustain double or even triple that. Still, it works in a way that it shouldn't, and that should please fans wholly.
Is it the perfect ending to a series that was in desperate need of a perfect ending? It depends on how wrapped up in smaller plot threads one is concerned. Hearst receives dutiful punishment by the end, but history dictates that he has the power that allows him to leave at some point. Meanwhile, certain characters' endings are ambiguous entirely, leaving audiences to question the declining health of General Samuel Fields (Franklyn Ajaye). But, is that necessarily the worst thing that Deadwood could do? The series chooses to end not with unified contentment, but more with the acceptance of the past finally being put to rest. Swearengen becomes a noble figure by the end, giving away everything that gave him power. It's likely in response to how he sees the hatred Hearst received for desiring such corruption, believing that his legacy would be judged harshly on poor actions. The final chapter of Deadwood is one with heart, where the city is allowed to move on from its past, turning those that founded the city into mythic figures in a bittersweet fashion. So while it paints the end of some major characters, Deadwood's ending is more that life goes on, and that society will eventually do the right thing.
While the best argument is why Deadwood didn't wrap up sooner, the results of the movie are far more satisfying than they have any right to be. While there's a tragedy in not knowing where Milch would've steered the ship in 2006, to know that his new ending is more polished and focused at least gives each character the dignified sendoff that they deserve. By creating a standalone story that streamlines everything great about the series, it manages to create one of the most satisfying reunion films in history. It's not entirely perfect, but what it is is one last chance to ride with these characters and recognize their value not only to western mythology but to the evolution of society. The sheriff is just as valuable as the barkeeps, and the show recognizes that perfectly. To disrupt the order of society would be devastating. It feels like it was always going to be the final fight for Deadwood, and there's so much joy in the fact that they won. It may not feel like how Milch would've written it in 2006, but maybe it's better this way.
Continuing its trend of being a tad on the cliche western side, it's when the bad guy rolls into town that the story really gets going. While he had a predominant role on the TV series, the threat of George Hearst (Gerald McRaney) has grown in that decade. He's a California Senator and, from the looks of it, he can buy his way out of any court case. He enters town a hero, allowed to ride upon a noble steed and give rousing speeches to the town that he was once considered a criminal in. For those who are skeptical, like Sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), it's only the start of a bigger mystery of why Hearst is back. He is, after all, a tycoon desperate for land and is going after the one stretch that keeps him from connecting sea to shining sea: the land owned by Charlie Utter (Dayton Callie). The mystery that builds from this plot thread is among the most intriguing that Deadwood has produced, especially as it raises moral questions and only thickens the villainy of Hearst's character.
It helps that the massive cast is given plenty to do throughout the story. While it centers around the return of Hearst, there are moments that stop to reflect on what the series meant in the grander vision. It was about creating a town out of nothing, where everyone could come together and share influence. It's something so noble that even Swearengen understood it in spite of his many run-ins with authority. Still, it's the threat of Hearst that gives the movie a bigger meaning. He returns with power, meaning that if the people are dumb enough he could topple everything that's been built towards and create his own little piece of industrial paradise. Even when he cheats, Bullock is there to question him. Had Hearst acted faster in, say, season one of the series, he might've succeeded. Instead, he comes at a point where Deadwood is more stable than it's ever been.
It's true that only so much of what made the series essential could fit into a two-hour running time. However, it's a gigantic miracle that the film not only exists but that it does in such an efficient and entertaining manner. Maybe the nudity has been toned down and the violence is reserved to a few gunfights, but the heart of the series still exists. Milch, whose declining mental health has become noteworthy as of late, miraculously pulls out a script that brings out the best in his characters. More importantly, it's a miracle that this exists in large part because of reassembling a now-famous cast and rebuilding a lot of major set pieces. So much went into simply making this look like the old Deadwood that anything else seems like a happy accident. While some elements may seem a bit off (Weigert's Calamity Jane doesn't have nearly as gruff of a voice), it's largely like a time capsule of performances that have grown and improved over time, capturing what the series needed to be relevant. In a field where most reunions and reboots are left feeling a little discolored, Deadwood: The Movie manages to satisfy by telling a story that doesn't exist solely to pander to fans. It exists to bring to a close a chapter in HBO programming that has long been overdue in its controversy.
Does it work? Provided that it's watched within the context of the show, it's easy to get wrapped up in the use of the word "miracle." For starters, the choice to shift attention towards Hearst as the central foe allows the movie to explore one of the show's villains in far more fascinating details. At times, Deadwood: The Movie's shift into a mystery involving the whole town could serve as its own story, regardless of the bigger context. It's a perfectly streamlined story that is constantly gripping, rich with Milch's poetic dialogue as every character becomes useful to the grander narrative. The film may have had to cut corners due to some deceased cast members, but otherwise, its scope isn't personally damaged. The worst that could be said is that this is only two hours when Deadwood could sustain double or even triple that. Still, it works in a way that it shouldn't, and that should please fans wholly.
Is it the perfect ending to a series that was in desperate need of a perfect ending? It depends on how wrapped up in smaller plot threads one is concerned. Hearst receives dutiful punishment by the end, but history dictates that he has the power that allows him to leave at some point. Meanwhile, certain characters' endings are ambiguous entirely, leaving audiences to question the declining health of General Samuel Fields (Franklyn Ajaye). But, is that necessarily the worst thing that Deadwood could do? The series chooses to end not with unified contentment, but more with the acceptance of the past finally being put to rest. Swearengen becomes a noble figure by the end, giving away everything that gave him power. It's likely in response to how he sees the hatred Hearst received for desiring such corruption, believing that his legacy would be judged harshly on poor actions. The final chapter of Deadwood is one with heart, where the city is allowed to move on from its past, turning those that founded the city into mythic figures in a bittersweet fashion. So while it paints the end of some major characters, Deadwood's ending is more that life goes on, and that society will eventually do the right thing.
While the best argument is why Deadwood didn't wrap up sooner, the results of the movie are far more satisfying than they have any right to be. While there's a tragedy in not knowing where Milch would've steered the ship in 2006, to know that his new ending is more polished and focused at least gives each character the dignified sendoff that they deserve. By creating a standalone story that streamlines everything great about the series, it manages to create one of the most satisfying reunion films in history. It's not entirely perfect, but what it is is one last chance to ride with these characters and recognize their value not only to western mythology but to the evolution of society. The sheriff is just as valuable as the barkeeps, and the show recognizes that perfectly. To disrupt the order of society would be devastating. It feels like it was always going to be the final fight for Deadwood, and there's so much joy in the fact that they won. It may not feel like how Milch would've written it in 2006, but maybe it's better this way.
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