I gave this 3 stars only because I love a good western . But in comparison to the 'Lonesome Dove ' series this was just awful !! 'Return to Lonesome Dove' had much more flavor and even though was not written by Larry McMurtry - was still how I would of liked the series to end . ( If I had to choose ) . --- I do not understand where all these 9/10 star ratings are coming from ?!/! Are they just people trying to defend LM ?? I heard that LM was so hateful about 'RTLD' , that he intentionally wanted to destroy 'SOL' . That is pathetic !! ---- For all you 9/10 star fanatics --- I have questions .( SPOILER ALERT ) 1- Really ? Newt is Dead ??? 2- Lori married Pea-Eye ??? - Come on !!! 3- Capt. Call just had to loose a limb right ?? ( did LM run out ways to disable someone ) 4- Chasing after a 9th grade villain ?? You're killing me !!! -- LM could of at least made the villain somewhat scary ! 5- That villains mother was actually the biggest villain in the film ! I wanted to kill her more than I wanted to kill " JO-EY" !! 5- And what did Capt. Call ever do to Lori to make her bad-mouth him so much ?? Lori turned out to be a solid Bitch !! ----- Now 'Return" was just more pleasing to the eyes and ears . Much better way to end the series .

Sorry, this movie abandoned the viewers. Loose ends? How many were there? Too many to count. I watched Lonesome Dove, too, and didn't really have any expectations for this movie, but I'd have to say it wasn't about the thread between movies or characters; how much Garner was like Jones, etc. It was, for me, about the lack of point of view. There are so many threads that do not get drawn together in a good way. Who really is the narrator? Why was Hardin's character in the movie? Why don't we see or learn more about Pea Eye whose close relationship with Call is given to us at the beginning? Why the guy who burns people down? So much time was spent on extraneous characters who perhaps in the book are interesting to the story but in a screen play become burdensome to the main story. I wished for more clarity, more development of the main characters. And, the movie did not really take place on The Street of Laredo.

James Garner (to me) is the king of flippancy. He always has a cute answer or some nonchalant way of handling things. I saw this after Dead Man's Walk and before Lonesome Dove. I had not read the books, so I feel my take on the acting is not jaded by expectations. On first glance I felt the part was weak. Then, after seeing Lonesome Dove and Return to Lonesome Dove, I realized that Garner did right by the part of Woodruff Call. I have never seen him so serious or non-contrived. Even his voice had that slight whine that Tommy Lee Jones had. John Voight had it to an extreme.On second watching I could see the loose ends that were tied, so I was pretty happy overall. I am not sure why such an inaccuracy as Judge Bean dying "not according to history" was allowed.For the record, this movie is second to Dead Man's Walk and a tad above Lonesome Dove. I hate to stomp on those that think LD was the greatest mini-series ever made. I did enjoy it, but had to have some extra coffee to stay awake. That was not the case with Laredo or Dead Man's Walk.

This is my favorite movie. It may be long, but it's not drawn out. It doesn't have the regular ol' western theme.. you know, and older man, a widowed woman, a crazy horse... no no no, this movie is real. I watch it from time to time and enjoy it even more each time. Alexis Cruz does a fantastic job as Joey Garza. Samuel Shephard is also fabulous in his role, and fits the part perfectly. 9.5 out of 10 stars.