In 1891, four women working as prostitutes in Echo City, Colorado—Madeleine Stowe, Andie MacDowell, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Drew Barrymore—find themselves running from the law, with Pinkerton agents pursuing them. Eventually, they have to confront a group of Hispanic outlaws to recover some money. "Bad Girls," released in 1994, is a Western that puts female characters at its center instead of cowboys. It has similarities to "Silverado" (from 1985) and “The Mask of Zorro” (1998), so those who enjoy those films will likely appreciate this one, even if it’s arguably the weakest of the three. The familiar elements of a Western are present: a fight in a saloon, a lynch mob, a pursuing group of men, Pinkerton detectives, a scene involving water, steam locomotives, a handsome male character (Dermot Mulroney), expansive Western landscapes, a bank robbery, and a humorous Latino bandit (James Russo), along with the four central characters walking together toward their final confrontation. However, there are also some original touches if you pay close attention. While all four actresses are beautiful in their own ways, Drew Barrymore is particularly striking. The film does a good job of illustrating how limited options were for women in the Old West. It’s commonly said that the choices available to women at that time included marriage, teaching, prostitution, or becoming an elderly woman. But what about working as clerks? What about performing arts like saloon entertainment, traveling shows, and Western exhibitions? What about writing, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe did? Or owning a ranch? There were more possibilities than people often acknowledge; women simply needed to be resourceful and willing to take risks. The heroines of “Bad Girls” demonstrate this spirit. Like the two previously mentioned Westerns, this film embraces an exaggerated, myth-making style rather than striving for realism. If you’re comfortable with that approach, it delivers on its promise, though not as successfully as "The Mask of Zorro" or "American Outlaws" (2001). There's a mistake in the initial scenes; the depiction of Christians marching into Echo City portrays them as antagonists when, historically, they would have likely been trying to assist the women escape from prostitution—something all four characters desire. While I understand concerns about overly strict rules and regulations, showing disrespect for the Bible feels like a lack of understanding. The film’s running time is 1 hour and 39 minutes. It was filmed at Alamo Village, Brackettville, Texas, as well as Del Rio, Red Hills Ranch, Sonora, California, and nearby Sierra Railroad, Jamestown. GRADE: C+

Source on TMDB