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Dead for a Dollar
2022 107 min Canada, United States of America R 16+
★5.9
Western, Thriller, Action, Drama
Director: Walter Hill
Trailers
Description
In 1897, veteran bounty hunter Max Borlund is deep into Mexico where he encounters professional gambler and outlaw Joe Cribbens — a sworn enemy he sent to prison years before. Max is on a mission to find and return Rachel Kidd, the wife of a wealthy businessman, who as the story is told to Max, has been abducted by Buffalo Soldier Elijah Jones. Max is ultimately faced with a showdown to save honor.
Worldwide:
$81,403
Starring
Christoph Waltz
Actor
Willem Dafoe
Actor
Rachel Brosnahan
Actor
Awards
1 win & 3 nominations total
Key opinion
Dead for a Dollar is a modest, character-driven Western that leans on the charisma of its leads rather than grand spectacle. While critics appreciate the film's homage to classic genre tropes and restrained performances, others find the narrative thin, the pacing uneven, and the overall execution underwhelming.
| Acting | Christoph Waltz and Willem Dafoe deliver committed, high-quality performances that anchor the film despite a limited script. | |
| Direction | Director Walter Hill successfully channels classic Western sensibilities and pays clear homage to the genre's canon. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is polarizing; some viewers find the deliberate, contemplative tempo refreshing, while others perceive it as stagnant and lacking momentum. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is divisive, viewed by some as a lean, minimalist genre exercise and by others as disjointed and lacking in character motivation. | |
| Cinematography | Opinions on the visual and auditory craft are split between those who enjoy the Morricone-inspired atmosphere and those who find the cinematography and score uninspired or muted. |