[1] Later classified by critics as an "acid western", Bad Company attempts in many ways to demythologize the American West in its portrayal of young men forced by circumstance and drawn by romanticized accounts to forge new lives for themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Their initial eagerness to be outlaws soon abates, however, when the boys are confronted with the realities of preying on others in a nation ravaged by war and exploitation.

In St. Joseph, Missouri, Drew is approached by Jake Rumsey (Jeff Bridges) who pistol-whips him and takes some of his money in an alley.

Jake runs a gang of petty thieves who steal purses and rob children of their pocket change.

Jake introduces Drew to his gang of thieves: the brothers Jim Bob (Damon Cofer) and Loney Logan (John Savage), Arthur Simms (Jerry Houser), and the ten-year-old Boog Bookin (Joshua Hill Lewis).

Drew agrees and claims to have robbed a hardware store, when in fact he simply took $12 from his boot where he is hiding his parents' money.

The following morning, Big Joe (David Huddleston) and his thugs, led by Hobbs (Geoffrey Lewis), come upon the boys while they are still asleep.

Seeing smoke on the horizon, he investigates, only to find that it was the result of a burning barn, set afire during a raid by Big Joe.

The posse captures Big Joe's gang, and as Drew guards Jake, he realizes how guilty he is by lying about his money.

But we get the feeling the movie doesn't know where it's headed and the last scene (one of those freeze-frames that's supposed to crystallize a significant moment for us) left me suspended in midair.

The ironic comical Western prides itself in taking on the Horatio Alger myth by debunking the belief that going West would lead adventurers to the land of plenty, as it bitterly points out the harsh realities of life and that taking to the road will more than likely mean meeting with bad company and hardship rather than good company and fortune.

"[3] The film holds a rating of 83% from 23 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus: "Well-acted and pleasantly gritty, Bad Company is one of the more authentic Westerns of its era -- and an auspicious debut for director Robert Benton.