No Country For Old Men was released on DVD yesterday, and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend you buy or rent it. Joel and Ethan Coen (Raising Arizona, Fargo, The Big Lebowski) adapted the screenplay from Cormac McCarthy’s novel, produced and directed this modern-day Western that manages to be quiet and restrained and unbelievably violent and gory at the same time. While hunting near the Rio Grande, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) comes across several trucks surrounded by dead bodies, and while searching the site, finds a case filled with Two Million dollars. Moss takes it with him, tells his wife (Kelly Macdonald, Nanny McPhee) he’s going away for awhile, and hits the road until he can determine his next move. From a review on Amazon.com:
“On the way from El Paso to Mexico, he discovers he’s being followed by ex-special ops agent Chigurh (an eerily calm Javier Bardem). Chigurh’s weapon of choice is a cattle gun, and he uses it on everyone who gets in his way–or loses a coin toss (as far as he’s concerned, bad luck is grounds for death). Just as Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), a World War II vet, is on Moss’s trail, Chigurh’s former colleague, Wells (Woody Harrelson), is on his. For most of the movie, Moss remains one step ahead of his nemesis. Both men are clever and resourceful–except Moss has a conscious, Chigurh does not (he is, as McCarthy puts it, “a prophet of destruction”). At times, the film plays like an old horror movie, with Chigurh as its lumbering Frankenstein monster. Like the taciturn terminator, No Country for Old Men doesn’t move quickly, but the tension never dissipates. This minimalist masterwork represents Joel and Ethan Coen and their entire cast, particularly Brolin and Jones, at the peak of their powers.”
I wish I had read Cormac McCarthy’s book before seeing the movie. As it was, I wanted to see just what all the fuss was about. I’m a big fan of the Coen brothers, and this movie won Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem (Josh Brolin was also nominated, it must have been a close vote).
My husband and I sat down to watch the movie, and from the opening scene when Javier Bardem’s character strangles a sheriff with the handcuffs he’s wearing, we were on a fast-moving ride. Sure, this movie is violent, gory, unapologetic-but it also has some of the best acting you will see in a long time. Tommy Lee Jones, Bardem, and Brolin turn in masterful performances. Woody Harrelson is just so-so, but Kelly McDonald (Nanny McPhee) is quietly brilliant.
It’s not for the faint-hearted, but if you are a fan of the Coen brothers, No Country For Old Men is a must-see. Buy it now:
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I actually didn’t like how it ended. It was slow in many places. It was just odd, which is a precursor to winning an Oscar I think. I wish I had rented it instead of bought it.
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“It’s not for the faint-hearted….” Thanks for letting me know-I am a big baby-so I will avoid this one.
It was slow in many places. It was just odd, which is a precursor to winning an Oscar I think.
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Hmm. I have heard about the movie and here is the discussion on it. I must see the movie.
Nice movie, i second that…i didn’t like how it ended.. :/
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