By Melissa Antoinette Garza
Richard O’Brien portrays Mr. Russell who works at a brothel filled with lovely women. He is just delicious and I love this flick.
Now to start, I do have a serious complaint. In a single scene, the film loses all credibility and becomes completely unrealistic. Upon meeting the ladies, Mr. Russell offers the girls some hot action and they don’t take him up on it. That’s right – a character portrayed by Richard O’Brien is offering himself to a bunch of bevvies and they turn him down!?! I can only suspend my disbelief so much. Has the world gone mad? Come on! In reality, those women would have had their knickers off before he could get the door shut, and as far as my midnight imagination goes that’s exactly what happened.
Other than that, this movie is fabulous. Charlotte Lockton (Alice Eve) is a happy new housewife. She goes with her British husband David (Lukas Hinch) to live a life of semi-luxury in New Zealand. Her husband teaches her how to shoot a gun, but is worried that she’s a little too much of a debutante to survive if ever the day came.
The day does come! David is killed and her newborn son gets kidnapped. When she gets a ransom note, this dame decides she’s going to get her son back by any means necessary! She must evolve from Pollyanna to Wendy O. Williams…okay maybe she’s doesn’t get that evolved, but she’s still pretty badass considering it’s an Old West timepiece.
She uses money, hitches a carriage ride, sleeps outside and makes some great friends on her journey. She also encounters thieves and abusers some of which become her friends. It’s complicated. One girl, Flamenco (Mikaela Ruegge) who steals her shoes then saves her from sexual assault by having sex with the guy for her. It’s a bonding moment.
Shortly thereafter they arrive at the brothel. YAY!!! Mr. Russell finally makes his appearance. Oh yeah, as for the plot- the kid is still kidnapped, Dave is still dead and Charlotte is still SUPER broken up about it, but about to get street. No bother, I’m sure that will all fix itself.
In more important news, Mr. Russell (Richard O’Brien) comes sauntering out of his sex dungeon and starts rounding up the beauties! Okay, it’s not a sex dungeon and it’s not technically his. I’ll rephrase. Mr. Russel with a fetching bowler hat, a dapper grayish brown suit, an eye-catching tan ascot and a gold chained pocket watch hanging from his waist approaches everyone in a gleeful welcoming manner. He is essentially the manager of the bar/brothel, but is also just the sexiest thing ever! What is this movie about again?
Russell is upbeat, fun and all about making money, but he has a soft spot. He takes care of the ladies, but tries to enforce the rules of the owner/ main pimp, Joshua McCullen (Jack Davenport). He negotiates between the girls and McCullen. He tells them that they can stay at the house and he’ll take care of them but 35% goes back to McCullen.
Admittedly, McCullen is a louse, but he’s very smart sending Russell out to do the negotiating. I’d give Mr. Russell 100%+ and thank him for taking it. These women are nuts! He offers them a quid pro quo to take a little less than the 35% and they scoff at it?! They must have vision problems.
To ease the tension a full on orgy breaks out with the goddesses of night servicing Mr. Russell in wonderfully amazing ways. Oh…hold on. No, that was just my fantasy typing. Sorry! That sadly did not happen. Russell just tells the gals to get ready.
Russell is extremely kindhearted and watches out for Charlotte, at times even going against his own best interests. He jumps in to help when a client gets too familiar and later when Charlotte is in real danger, he comes thru. 
In my unbiased opinion, Mr. Russell is the hero of this movie. He’s a charismatic gent and a bad boy with a sweet heart. Please get him out of that suit and underneath a hottie rocking the night away!!! Sorry – inner thoughts coming out again.
McCullen comes in attempting to charm his way around the place. He’s a widow who lost his daughter, but it’s clear he’s a douche that does not deserve sympathy. It becomes even more clear as the film wraps up.
In the end, Charlotte kicks some serious ass and rocks it out of the park. She’s emotionally drained, but that motherly instinct and female prowess keeps her going strong.
The acting is great and the plot is solid. I’m not typically into modern western films but this one was done extremely well and with a compelling story.
Still, this movie has a special place in my heart for one reason. I know I’ve been very subtle in this review so you probably don’t know what that reason is. Fine, I’ll tell you.
Richard O’Brien is in this film and he is sensational in it. He is even kind enough to gift us a little quick song in it. This movie is bliss! Mr. Russell is divine and Richard O’Brien is ecstasy. See THE STOLEN (2017). It’s easy enough to buy off AMAZON streaming or VUDU. Go do that!
Scared Stiff Rating: 7/10
Richard O’Brien Rating: 11/10 (the math checks out)
