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John Cusack, John Goodman, L.Q. Jones, Miranda Otto, John C. McGinley ... see more see more... , John Savage , Rodney A. Grant , Jay O Sanders , Scott Wilson , Drake Bell , Nick Billie , Glenn Morshower , Ken Pogue , Dick Cusack , Kurt Fuller , Rex Linn

John Cusack plays Myrl Redding, a horse trader who locks horns with a rancher who has callously mistreated two of his horses, as well as their handler, a Crow Indian. When the law gives Myrl no justic... read more read more...e, he is forced to take matters into his own hands, leading to a cycle of violence and chaos. The Jack Bull was written by Cusack's father, Dick, who also plays a small part as the jury foreman in the film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

70% liked it

4,296 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

5 critics

R, 2 hr.

Directed by: John Badham

Release Date: August 1, 1999

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DVD Release Date: August 31, 1999

Stats: 176 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (176)

  • fb704730572
    July 22, 2011
    fb704730572
    The Jack Bull is a fantastic western made almost perfect by John Cusack and John Goodman. That HBO took on the project is no surprise, Hollywood rarely touches this sort of libertarian-themed material anymore. The story itself is really a simple morality tale, but one in which re... read morealism carries the day. Great acting, script, and moving story make this a must see.
  • ileo
    December 12, 2007
    ileo
    Definitely remember this movie!
  • Hellshocked
    April 26, 2007
    Hellshocked
    I hate John Cusack. He turns in the exact same performance in every single role with his blank stare, fast delivery and shoulder-shrugging indifference and somehow manages to receive extreme critical acclaim. He is miscast in the central role here, but surprisingly tries to do so... read moremething ever so slightly different. I didn't buy it for one second, but hey, it's John Cusack. I never would have.

    This film is a typical western with some very beautiful photography. It actually feels like Wyoming, the dry land, the snow, the dust, the vegetation. The problem is it is never very engaging. The first 45 minutes are flat while the last hour or so is a morally confused mess preaching vigilantism and overkill.

    Part of the problem is the direction. It is pedestrian, bland, never involving nor, of course, even remotely exciting, and the rest of it is probably the script. It makes very little sense for Myrl to do what he does when there are many other ways he could have achieved the exact same result, his speech on how the law failed him (echoed by John Goodman's character) is ridiculous, and by the end of the film he has done far worse than Henry Ballard ever did to him, despite what the direction and the score would like to have you believe.

    I can't say it was exactly a disappointment (it's a John Cusack vehicle, after all) but it was certainly not very good.
  • chadroesti
    April 13, 2007
    chadroesti
    This was a surprisingly good movie...John Cusack as a cowbow, who'd of thunk it?
  • jusstpete
    May 13, 2012
    jusstpete
    A surprisingly effective performance by John Cusack is a bif plus for this movies, as well as a good screenplay and fine cinematography. I liked the old fashioned score too.
  • jam233
    September 17, 2009
    jam233
    A surprisingly effective performance by John Cusack is a bif plus for this movies, as well as a good screenplay and fine cinematography. I liked the old fashioned score too. Nicely done.
  • kenowliver
    August 9, 2008
    kenowliver
    Not until you witness the obstacles that this country have overcome to become what it is today, you will begin to appreciate what you have.
  • joker0944
    May 7, 2007
    joker0944
    After a rich Englich chattlemen takes two of his horses for payment and hurt the pure stallions he goes a a bloody rampage
  • amandalynn1974
    February 12, 2007
    amandalynn1974
    This movie rocks. The ending is not happy, but the story is wonderful...peace of trivia...Dick Cusack, John and Joan's dad, wrote and made a cameo in this move. Dick Cusack also played the doctor in While You were Sleeping.

View All The Jack Bull Reviews

Critic Reviews

Carol Cling
September 2, 2005
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Strong revenge Western in the old-fashioned mold.

Laura Fries
March 26, 2009
Laura Fries, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

January 1, 2000
Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 19, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Rebecca Murray
October 10, 2003
Rebecca Murray, About.com

No review available.

Philip Martin
August 8, 2002
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

No review available.

June 5, 2001
AV Club

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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