The Rousters

Although we couldn't find any evidence, this on-again, off-again comedy has the look, the feel, and the tell-tale overuse of music that marks a made-for-TV movie. Chad Everett stars as Wyatt Earp III, a descendant of the legendary lawman who tamed the Wild West. He and his brother Evan (Jim "Ernest" Varney) work as a bouncer and all-around troublemaker, respectively, at a small town carnival. Their mother Amanda (Maxine Stuart) is a crochety part-time bounty hunter, who is determined to keep alive the Earp tradition. This fairly inventive scenario is bogged down by a series of unfunny encounters with the local flora and fauna, which result in unspectacular chase scenes and lame fistfights and shootouts. Although Varney, predictably, delivers the film's funniest lines (and is marketed as the film's star), the actor whose onscreen most of the time is good old Medical Center heartthrob Chad Everett. Though he makes a game effort, comedy is not really Everett's forte. The Rousters features a good idea, routinely executed. Audiences who expect at least big budget entertainment if not bellylaughs from their comedies will find little to appreciate in this shoestring budget comedy western. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)