The Shootist

The Shootist is currently streaming in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel, and it rewards the patience it asks of you. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 385 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. John Wayne's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight on fuboTV and see for yourself.

The Shootist arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The writing in The Shootist treats its characters as people first, plot devices second. Afflicted with a terminal illness John Bernard Books, the last of the legendary gunfighters, quietly returns to Carson City for medical attention from his old friend Dr. Hostetler. Aware that his days are numbered, the troubled man seeks solace and peace in a boarding house run by a widow and her son. John Wayne and Lauren Bacall lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1976. What elevates The Shootist is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers drawn to character-driven storytelling will find plenty to sit with in The Shootist. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. John Wayne is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.