American Gun (2002)

Well-acted and ambitious, this drama about America's fascination, and love affair, with guns is mired too heavily in its middling story. Telling the tale of a man who, like so many other boys in this country, was weaned on the glamour and power of firearms, the film unfortunately never explores the more interesting aspects of its hero's conflicted odyssey. A Korean War veteran, plagued by a devastating showdown in the field, Coburn's everyman is one who has been both empowered and ruined by the guns in his life. Capturing his journey to wrestle the demons that haunt him, demons which all seem to spring from incidents involving guns, the film never explores the undercurrents of this interesting theme. Instead, varied stories about the past and its central character's own sordid history, dominate the film. On a sadder note, turning in what was to be the last starring role of his life (Coburn passed away before the film was commercially released), the legacy of this film ends up being the fine performance of the Hollywood legend at the helm. ~ Rachel Deahl, All Movie Guide