Doc West (2009) starring Terence Hill, Paul Sorvino, Clare Carey, Maria P. Petruolo directed by Giulio Base, Terence Hill Movie Review

Doc West (2009)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Terence Hill in Doc West (2009)

The Doc Loves Spaghetti

After saving a kid from a rattle snake and then put his dislocated shoulder back in Minnesota West, aka Doc West (Terence Hill), enters the town of Holy Sand and in to a game of poker with some locals. But West finds himself coming second to the cheats and thrown in jail by Sheriff Roy Basehart (Paul Sorvino). With a bad back West advises the struggling Sheriff to change his shoes and soon Roy is literally skipping around. Soon the sheriff and West have become friends as others in town come to ask the prisoners medical advice and the truth about his past comes out. When trouble between families causes unrest in town West has to decide whose side he is on.

Sometimes curious can be good whilst sometimes it can be bad but which ever it is it has to be said that "Doc West" is curious. Take for example Terence Hill who not only stars in "Doc West" but also does a bit of the directing, to me I know his name from old spaghetti westerns made in Italy during the 70s. Well this is no spaghetti western despite being an Italian production. It means those who watch expecting some old style Terence Hill western action could end up disappointed.

Paul Sorvino in Doc West (2009)

So if "Doc West" isn't a spaghetti western then what is it? Well it kind of reminds me of "Cimarron Strip" but crossed with the easy going style of the "Love Comes" made for TV westerns. Basically we have nice guys and pantomime bad guys, pretty looking sets and a distinct lack of grit or realism. It probably won't do much for fans of classic western realism but certainly has its charms for those who enjoy easy going with Terence Hill in particular delivering easy going and looking remarkably good for his age.

Now this makes things simply curious and in truth comical with Paul Sorvino adding to that humour as the town's sheriff but there is more which is curious about "Doc West" and that comes from it originally being two episodes of a TV series but has been packaged as one but doesn't really flow as one 180 minute movie. But it still works and somehow even if you start watching expecting some sort of Spaghetti Western it still manages to amuse with is light, cheesy and comical side.

What this all boils down to is that "Doc West" is all over the place as it isn't gritty, it is Spaghetti, it is frequently cheesy and lighter than light. Basically think of an old western series such as "Bonanza" or "Cimarron Strip" and picture it done in an even lighter, more jovial way with the clean look of modern made for TV westerns and that is what it is and certainly entertaining for being so light and fun.


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