The Hero

Quiet, personal and refreshingly introspective.

It's one of his finest and most memorable performances. Unfortunately, the script fails to rise to the level of Elliott's artistry.

Two good things are not enough to goose this all-too-familiar tale of a selfish man who wakes up one day, realizes that he blew it and scrambles to fix it before it's too late.

The script around him doesn't do Elliott or the character justice, and is a missed opportunity at a late-in-life comeback role for the one-time Western star.

Is there an American actor of more meaningful solitude than Sam Elliott?

Haley gave Elliott the gift of this career-defining role and Elliott returns the favor by giving a career-best performance.

The Hero is a sublime epistle to the silver screen specter cast by Sam Elliott.

While the film is a journeyman effort, The Hero's love for Elliott shines through in every scene. If you want to see an oft-supporting player get his due, this is the film.

Sam Elliott is in almost every frame, bringing an easy charm that solidifies his leading man status while smoothing over the film's rough patches.

The Hero is about as good as these stories get without someone masterfully inventive behind the camera, and it doesn't aim much higher than merely being effective.