Big Calibre: A Quick Trip to Dusty Nowhere

Look, if you’re hunting for a deep dive into the psyche of a gunslinger, stay far away from Big Calibre. But if you want a breezy, low-stakes afternoon in a town that seems to have about three streets total, this is your ride. It’s perfect for people who love the smell of old celluloid and aren't bothered by plot holes the size of a wagon wheel.

Roy Neal is the kind of guy who gets arrested about five minutes after arriving anywhere. The mail truck robbery subplot feels like it was scribbled on the back of a napkin right before cameras started rolling. It doesn't really matter though, because watching him break out of jail is the highlight of the first act.

The pacing is… well, it moves. Sometimes it moves too fast, like when the bad guys go from "we own this town" to "please don't shoot me" in the blink of an eye. The businessmen are your standard mustache-twirling types. You know exactly who they are the second they step into the frame. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Lone Rider, but with less polish.

There is this one scene where Roy and Rusty are just sort of standing around in the street, waiting for something to happen. The background extras are clearly looking at the camera. It’s great. It gives the whole thing this charming, slapdash feel that you just don't get in big-budget stuff anymore.

The showdown is predictable, obviously. You don't watch a movie like this for the surprises. You watch it for the sound of spurs and the way the shadows look against the barn wood.

Notes from the back row:

• The sheriff is remarkably bad at his job, which is the only reason the movie exists at all.
• The hats in this movie are truly, genuinely massive.
• I’m pretty sure the same two horses were used for every single riding shot.
• The dialogue sounds like it was written by someone who had only ever heard about real people talking from a long distance away.

Is it better than The Hidden Children? Hard to say. It’s just different, you know? It’s thin, sure. It’s definitely not winning any awards. But it’s got that weird, grainy soul that makes you want to keep watching even when the plot starts to unravel completely.

Sometimes you just need a movie that knows exactly what it is. Big Calibre is a short, punchy, and deeply flawed little western. I didn't hate it. That’s probably the highest praise I can give it.