Hi-Lo Country, The

Two cowboys (Woody Harrelson and Billy Crudup) eke out a marginal life in post-World War II New Mexico, while one of them (Harrelson) carries on with a married woman they both love. Adapted by Walon Green from a novel by Max Evans and directed by Stephen Frears, the film is actually two stories. One is an elegiac sigh for the dying Old West, the other tells of the friendship between the timid narrator (Crudup) and his reckless pal. Their relationship recalls Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, and it’s probably no coincidence that Scorsese is one of the producers. The leisurely pace and over-familiar story benefit from Frears’ customary eye for atmospheric detail and the strong supporting cast, which includes Patricia Arquette, Penelope Cruz and Sam Elliott.