The Jack Bull 1999

In 1889 Wyoming Territory, Myrl Redding [John Cusack] is a horse trader living with his wife Cora Redding [Miranda Otto], their son Cage [Drake Bell], and a small group of ranch hands. When he tries to move his horses to a market in Casper, he encounters Henry Ballard [L.Q. Jones], a wealthy landowner who has erected a tollbooth on the road through his property and demands ten dollars to pass. Unable to pay, Redding leaves two horses as collateral and enlists Billy [Rodney A. Grant], a Native American ranch hand, to ensure the animals aren’t mistreated.

After selling the horses at Casper, Redding returns to Ballard’s ranch to find the horses malnourished and beaten, with Billy nowhere to be found. Redding vows that Ballard will pay to restore the horses’ health, but Ballard refuses. He also seeks legal help; a local lawyer doubts the case will proceed because Judge Wilkins, who is friendly with Ballard, has control over the docket.

Redding learns that Judge Wilkins has thrown out the lawsuit, prompting his wife to seek help from the Attorney General Metcalfe [Jay O. Sanders], escorted by the ranch hand Woody [John C. McGinley]. During this visit, some of Ballard’s men attack Woody and throw him in front of a horse carriage, which swerves to avoid him and ends up killing Cora Redding.

Enraged by the loss and the failure of the legal system, Redding rallies a local militia of ranchers and farmers and attacks Ballard’s home, sending him fleeing. Ballard pleads his case to the Governor of Wyoming [Scott Wilson], who dispatches a sheriff to arrest Redding. Redding ambushes the sheriff’s men, and in the confusion one of Ballard’s men is killed.

Seeking to ease the violence, the Governor offers Redding amnesty if he surrenders. Redding accepts but later sends a letter promising to support Billy’s tribe against the United States, jeopardizing the amnesty. He is charged and convicted of murder. Ballard, meanwhile, is brought to Court and ordered to restore the horses’ health by Judge Tolliver [John Goodman], who also sentences Ballard to two years. Nonetheless, Tolliver is forced to sentence Redding to be executed following his conviction.

After saying goodbye to his son, Redding is hanged. Wyoming becomes a state, and Cage [Drake Bell] and Woody take the two healthy horses back to the Redding ranch.