Cowboy Smoke (2008)

Director:

Will James Moore

Writer:

Will James Moore (writer)

Release Date:

2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Thriller | Western

Tagline:

The Western Isn't Dead, It's Waiting For The Smoke To Clear.

Plot:

Joe's a suburban convenience store clerk with big dreams of becoming a cowboy so he packs his boots and relocates to South Texas to learn from the real deal. His idea of the mythic cowboy is quickly shattered however when he finds himself holed up in a town that survives on a human smuggling trade.

Plot Keywords:

18 Wheeler | Car Chase | Illegal Immigration | Video Game | Ranch Hand

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Mike Lutz	...	Joe
Chad Mathews	...	Wes
Matthew T. Johnston	...	Travis
Estella Perez	...	Elysa
James Paul	...	Indio
Bum Phillips	...	Bum
Fagan Patterson	...	Cody
Chris Viteychuk	...	Neil
Cory Hudson	...	Troy
Joe Fury	...	Felix
Walter Womack	...	Kenneth
L.A. Young	...	Travis Sr.
Jose Zapata	...	Tito
Bobby DeHay	...	Wyatt
Shane Patterson	...	Jake

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Company:

Bandwagon Films

Trivia:

Cowboy Smoke was inspired by the Victoria immigrant tragedy, in which 19 Mexicans suffocated in a truck after being smuggled across the border. The movie was subsequently filmed on location at the Fagan Ranch which is 10 miles from where the tragedy occurred.

Movie Connections:

Follows Wesley Cash (2004)

Creative, fun, suspenseful - a true modern-day classic western

Cowboy Smoke is a solid modern-day western, fun to watch and a great homage to the classic spaghetti westerns of the 60s and 70s. The character of Joe (played by Mike Lutz) isn't your typical cool, calm and collected cowboy hero from the start. But through great directing and Lutz's solid acting chops, Joe transforms into a classic western character to be appreciated by any film-goer. The film has action, drama, suspense and a touching love story... not to mention a few laughs along the way.

I attended a sold-out screening of Cowboy Smoke at the Austin Film Festival after having seen the fliers posted around at the festival venues... and I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the film. Strong directing, a talented cast, beautiful cinematography and score. Kudos to writer/director Moore and his team!