The Newton Boys

"History is about to catch up with America's most successful bank robbers."

1998 2h 2m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 208

CrimeActionDrama

Synopsis

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The story of the Newton gang, the most successful bank robbers in history, owing to their good planning and minimal violence.

“History is about to catch up with America's most successful bank robbers.”

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Cast

Matthew McConaughey
Willis Newton
Skeet Ulrich
Joe Newton
Ethan Hawke
Jess Newton
Vincent D'Onofrio
Dock Newton
Dwight Yoakam
Brentwood Glasscock
Gail Cronauer
Mia Newton
Julianna Margulies
Louise Brown
Jena Karam
Orphan Singer

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Linklater
Writers: Claude Stanush, Richard Linklater, Clark Walker
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 39% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

28 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Richard Linklater, shot by Peter James. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Edward D. Barnes. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sandra Adair shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Matthew McConaughey and Skeet Ulrich and Ethan Hawke carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "History is about to catch up with America's most successful bank robbers.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0120769 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Linklater directs. Peter James behind the camera. Edward D. Barnes scores. Sandra Adair cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 39% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
228 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Richard Linklater, shot by Peter James. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Edward D. Barnes. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Sandra Adair shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Matthew McConaughey and Skeet Ulrich and Ethan Hawke carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "History is about to catch up with America's most successful bank robbers.".
8IMDB entry: tt0120769 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 10 themes, including "robbery", "based on novel or book", "gangster", "bank robber".

The technical file

Cinematography: Peter James
Original score: Edward D. Barnes
Editing: Sandra Adair
Production design: Catherine Hardwicke
Costume design: Shelley Komarov
Makeup / hair: Candi Duke
Sound: Lora Hirschberg
Stunt coordinator: Fred Lerner
Runtime: 122 min · 2h 2m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $27,000,000
Box office: $10,452,012
Return: 39% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Newton Boys (1998)

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Richard Linklater

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-02
★ 6/10
Richard Linklater has tried hard with his cast here, but somehow this tale of the real life Newton gang whose criminal career culminated in one of America's most infamous train robberies just doesn't catch fire - at all. Matthew McConaughey (Willis) leads his brothers Jess (Ethan Hawke), Joe (Sweet Ulrich) and the scene stealing Vincent D'Onofrio (Dock) as the young men conclude - with the complicity of their mother (Gail Cronauer) that they don't need to live in rural penury for ever, and that with some meticulous planning they can accrue a considerable fortune without harming anyone but by robbing the railroad. Sadly, though, the actors don't really gel - they are four men who seem to be vying for screen time as much as anything else; there is little evidence of a team on screen which rather belies the truth about why this gang were at all successful. It does move a long apace, though - there is plenty of gun action and some fun pyrotechnics as their antics gain momentum and their targets become bigger. Historically, the ending is quite interesting - and I think quite suitable, though I very much doubt the railroad saw it that way. It's watchable, the production is fine and the dialogue is quite lively at times, but in the end, the sum of the parts just doesn't make for much of an whole. Disappointing.

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