No Country for Old Men Review
by J.Anthony Lucas
If ever there was a
perfect movie, this would come very close. Quite possibly some of the
finest story telling ever captured on celluloid. Don't
expect popcorn pacing. The measured organic tempo takes as long as is
necessary to tell this delightfully twisted chilling tale. Nothing
more. Nothing less. But with dialogue written and performed as
delicious as this, you really don't want the film to end.
Set in
1980, this almost-modern western deals with the changing times and
crimes that the genre is known for, sans the air of nostalgia. Ethan
and Joel Cohen have combined their efforts as writers and directors to
create this masterpiece adapted from Cormack McCarthy’s book with a
haunting, elegant, brilliant and edgy voice all its own. Composer
Carter Burwell compliments the masterful story telling with a sparse
score that finds a perfect balance of suspense, mystery, and Texas.
What
would you do if you found a bag containing two million dollars
surrounded by a bunch of dead drug dealers? Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin)
finds himself in this moral dilemma only to choose what you know you
would do as well. However, when he takes the money and runs, the
chilling psychopath Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) runs after him.
Sheriff
Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) follows a bloody trail of bodies to save
Moss from himself and the bad medicine Chigurh is dealin. Suffice it to
say a spoon full of Chigurh helps the medicine go down. What unfolds is
very deep, psychological, and ultimately very un-hollywood.
Not
much more could be said about the seemingly boundless acting ability of
Mr. Jones. Brolin holds his own in keeping with the unique subtle
flavor of storytelling here. But the runaway performance of the evening
goes to the uber-versatile Javier Bardem. Perhaps this performance will
put him on Oscar watch again as did his performance in Before Night Falls
in 2000. No doubt Mr. Bardem could find space on his very crowded
trophy shelf among acting accolades from virtually every other corner
of the planet.
I assure you I am not on the No Country for Old Men payroll…but I should be. I implore you to go see this exquisitely crafted movie. You’ll thank me for it. 5 out
of 5 No Country for Old Men
Australian release: 24th January, 2008
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin
Director: Ethan & Joel Cohen
Website: Click
here.
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