Westerns are making quite the comeback, and people of all ages certainly enjoy the older ones, from classics like True Grit to more modern hits like 3:10 to Yuma. Maverick, though, is one of those Westerns that works absolutely perfectly, as its comedic timing is one for the books. The way each character plays off one another in this screwball way makes it a film that you can watch over and over again.

It brings some legendary cowboys out of the woodwork, specifically James Garner and James Coburn, who are both well-known on the Western scene of filmmaking. Jodie Foster, though, is the perfect addition among all the men, practically stealing the show from the moment she steps on screen. Foster is able to release her inner comedian as she plays Annabelle Bransford, a fierce woman who can hold her own and knows how to play the system.

What Is ‘Maverick’ All About?

Maverick stars Mel Gibson as Bret Maverick, a charming cardshark on his way to a poker tournament with a huge payoff—but he still needs a few thousand dollars to cover the entry fee. Stopping off in a small town to make a quick buck, he soon makes enemies with two people, Angel (Alfred Molina) and Annabelle Bransford. His feud with Annabelle soon becomes history, though, and they end up heading to the tournament together, along with lawman, Zane Cooper (James Garner).

Originally, Maverick was a television show from the late 1950s, where Garner played Maverick, but this film iteration takes on an entirely new adventure. Maverick, Annabelle, and Cooper end up on a wild odyssey that eventually leads them to a steamboat run by Commodore Duvall (James Coburn), who has been conning, duping, and cheating far longer than Maverick. He has a few tricks up his sleeve, but that doesn’t deter Maverick from making it to the final table and battling it out for the grand pot.

Jodie Foster’s Portrays a Poker Face-Wearing Annabelle Bransford in ‘Maverick’

When we first meet Annabelle, she’s playing poker with a table full of men and doing quite well—and that’s when Maverick walks in and notices everyone’s tells. Each player’s demeanor gives clues to whether their hand is good or not, and even Maverick mentions that he’s willing to lose for the first hour if they let him join the game. Throughout the film, she has the men eating right out of her hand, especially when she butters up Zane Cooper about how brave he was for taking on nine men at once. In short, she knows how to stroke an ego.

Foster puts on quite the performance as one heck of a con woman, constantly putting one over on Maverick. From the beginning, the audience could tell that behind her sweet demeanor, something was amiss. As Maverick repeatedly pointed out, her sickeningly sweet southern accent wasn’t quite right, but that didn’t stop her from charming everyone she met. And as it turns out, she’s just as intelligent and savvy as any of the men she’s up against. She can get into the poker tournament without a hitch, and she certainly makes it to the final round.

Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson Have the Perfect Chemistry in ‘Maverick

Throughout the film, Annabelle and Maverick have a cat-and-mouse game going on: the hunt is on for Maverick, but he enjoys the chase. Their chemistry throughout makes the film that much more intense, and the way they play off and one-up each other is *chef’s kiss* perfection.

Annabelle knows how to push Maverick’s buttons, but not just in the more lighthearted way. By saying one word wrong, she knows it’ll have Maverick blowing a fuse, and that one word just happens to be his name: Bret. It’s a common trope throughout the film that no one can remember/pronounce his name correctly. They usually say “Burt,” which Annabelle does throughout the film, and she knows exactly what she’s doing. Although their characters are at each other’s throats sometimes, their ability to relax around each other is what seals the believability of Foster and Gibson’s chemistry on-screen.

Foster is able to showcase her physical comedy in Maverick, as well. The most hilarious instance is when Annabelle and Maverick are debating how much of a cut she’ll get after they receive the money back from the thieves. At one point, she stumbles, begins to fall, and catches herself on Maverick’s gun, but not before shooting it while it’s still in his holster.One thing about Annabelle is that she wants to perfect her craft. She wants to get rid of her tells—tapping her teeth and twirling her hair—and become a better poker player. She learns some good tips from Maverick about it, but ultimately, it’s her downfall. Although it’s not the tell you might think, she holds her breath when she bluffs against Maverick during the tournament, which knocks her out of the competition. She was furious with Maverick, but everyone saw it. She was one of the few women in the competition and made it to the final round, which was brilliant in and of itself. As a whole, though, the scene allows Foster’s character to come to terms with disappointment, but comically, by having everyone around her tell her she was holding her breath the entire time.

While the film is packed with tons of laughs, Annabelle’s wit, charm, and slapstick comedy are what really stole the show. Between True Detective: Night Country and Nyad, Foster is all the rage right now—and rightlfully so. It’s tough to know just what sort of project she’ll be taking on next, but it’s sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, just like she pulled off in Maverick.