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American
Gun, 2002, 89 minutes, Rated R
By Ramona Prioleau
“…the right of the people to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed…”
- Amendment II to the United States Constitution
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Even
a mere card carrying member of the National Rifle Association would
respond to restrictions on the right to bear arms with a flippant
phrase that guns don't kill people, people kill people. But what
happens when the people killed are children. Not just any children,
but your own. How do you reconcile your emotions when the destruction
wrought by your constitutionally protected right invades your home?
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Ostensibly,
American Gun is a film about a man's journey to do just that. But at
the core, the film explores America's gun culture, which has lead to
the death of innocents under the guise of protecting property,
settling disputes and serving governmental interests.
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Cleverly written and
directed by Alan Jacobs, American Gun obscures the true nature of the
protagonist's journey until the end. Spun with flashbacks, purposeful
casting and top-notch editing, American Gun misleads in an intriguing
way as it plots the legacy of a homegrown agent of destruction from
its birth in an idyllic New England community through its maturation
in other lands and ultimately, its return to the pristine countryside
of its youth.
The film's indirect examination of the American
obsession with the firearm subtly compels consideration of a topic
that tends to divide - gun control in America. Although inanimate and
receiving second billing to James Coburn (as Martin Tillman), the
pistol, in Tillman's eyes, is the villain in this tale. In fact,
Tillman's quest is significantly aided by his declaration that
"the gun killed my daughter." By pointing the finger at the
gun and thrusting it into the spotlight, the 357 Magnum that
accelerated Penny Tillman's demise achieves prominence, thereby
focusing attention on the issues that the filmmaker skillfully
implies.
American Gun is a fitting swan song to Coburn's
stellar career. The film showcases Coburn's extensive talent as this
role allows him to fully explore a wide range of emotions in Tillman's
search for redemption. Coburn, who distinguished himself in the
gun-slinging Western genre that glorified firearm swagger, concludes
his career in a fine performance that's contrary to that legacy.
Coburn plays the character with a quiet intensity that belies his
troubled spirit and the anguish of his deed.
M
February 2004
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