Today’s quick review: Rustlers’ Rhapsody. For Rex O’Herlihan (Tom Berenger), the hero of dozens of 1940s Westerns, the frontier town of Oakwood Estates holds no surprises. He knows what its people are like before he’s even met them, and he knows what he has to do to free it from the clutches of Colonel Ticonderoga (Andy Griffith), the local cattle baron. The only wrinkle is Peter (G.W. Bailey), the town drunk, who appoints himself as Rex’s sidekick.
Rustlers’ Rhapsody is a Western comedy that takes shots at the conventions of the genre. Rex O’Herlihan is a heroic cowboy in the classic mold, from his strict moral code to his flashy outfit and white hat. But after fifty nigh-identical adventures, he’s beginning to notice a pattern. Armed with his six-shooters and a growing awareness of the genre he’s in, Rex sets out with his new sidekick to free the latest town from the latest villain.
Rustlers’ Rhapsody spins this premise into an enjoyable parody. The movie has a lighter touch than other comedies. There are plenty of over jokes, but less of a reliance on slapstick and sight gags. Instead, Rustlers’ Rhapsody goes through the steps of a classic Western while poking fun at them along the way. Tom Berenger, G.W. Bailey, and Andy Griffith all have good moments, and the movie’s deadpan helps most of its jokes hit home.
The one major failing of Rustlers’ Rhapsody is that it is not as sharp as other comedies. It knows how to deliver a joke but not how to follow up on one. Right when the audience is ready for one more joke or one extra twist, the movie backs off. As such, the humor has a string of modest successes but never builds up momentum. Still, there is an advantage to this: In spite of its meta elements, Rustlers’ Rhapsody still works as a Western.
Not everyone will appreciate what Rustlers’ Rhapsody has to offer. Its humor is ridiculous in concept but somewhat understated in its delivery. Its plot requires appreciating the Western genre but not taking it too seriously. And while it earns a fair number of laughs, it does so more as a parody than as a comedy that can stand on its own. But within these constraints, Rustlers’ Rhapsody is a clever movie with plenty to offer the right viewer.
For a more raucous Western parody, try Blazing Saddles. For an animated Western comedy with meta elements, try Rango. For a more straightforward Western adventure, try Silverado. For an even more outrageous spoof with a similar style of humor, try Top Secret!, Johnny Dangerously, or The Cheap Detective. For a comedy that does something similar with the action genre, try Last Action Hero.
[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089945/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for charming comedy with a few missed opportunities.