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Brokeback Mountain
Directed by: Ang Lee
Starring: Heath Ledger
Genre:
Drama/Romance
Run Time: 134
min.
Release Date:
December 2005
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Ennis Del Mar (Heath
Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) are two down-on-their-luck
cowpokes looking for a summer job as they silently meet outside a dusty
ranch trailer in 1963 Wyoming. Joe Aguirre (Randy Quaid), ranch boss,
gives them the duty of moving a herd of sheep up to a spot called
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN where they'll wile away the hours protecting the
flock from predators and allowing them to graze. Their lives are pretty
boring and tough, each having to cook, keep an eye on the sheep, and
suffer their daily routines. Until one night ...
Ennis comes down from the mountain and is too drunk to go back up, so
falls asleep outside Jack's tent. Ennis' shivering awakens Jack and he
tells Ennis to get inside the tent before he freezes. It is here that
something extraordinary and frightening happens: they have sex. It isn't
the soft, touchy-feely kind either. It's rough and earnest, as though
they had hidden something deep down inside each of them that finally was
allowed out for some air. But their activities don't go unnoticed ...
Their boss, Joe Aguirre, catches sight of the two of them "wrestling"
and decides to pull them off the mountain. Their summer is cut short and
as they part ways, Ennis and Jack are awkward and hesitant. Jack drives
away and Ennis walks down the street, watching Jack's truck vanish down
the road. And as this happens, Ennis suddenly become overwhelmed and
crumples to the ground, acting as if a part of him has been ripped out.
Jack and Ennis won't meet up for another four years, during which time
they both become married, have children, and develop a semblance of
societal normalcy. But when they do finally meet up, they run into each
others arms and are immediately back on Brokeback Mountain.
But can their relationship survive in a time when "alternate lifestyles"
were taboo? Can Ennis give as much as Jack wants (Jack continually asks
Ennis to move with him to a quiet cabin spot and help with a herd of
their own, but Ennis can't break away from what his family and society
expects of him)?
Ang Lee (HULK, 2003) delivers his best film to date. The
panoramic shots of the mountains were awe-inspiring, and the period
vehicles, saddles, and other props were excellent.
Much has been made of Heath Ledger's performance, and I must say that I
was highly impressed with his excellent portrayal of a quiet cowboy in
conflict with himself and the world around him.
Jake Gyllenhaal does a fine job, too, as the more earnest love interest,
wanting more and more each time they meet up.
The only issues I had with the film were its pacing and the "love" the
two feel for each other that some other reviewers have so adamantly
pointed out. The pacing was very slow, like the lives of these two men,
so if you're expecting a bang-bang (no pun intended) action, don't get
your hopes up. But if you don't mind a very leisurely pace (I'd say it's
about on par with the film SIDEWAYS, so if you didn't like that
film's pace, stay away from this one), you'll probably love it to
pieces.
The "love" should've been ratcheted up a notch. The scenes took on a
sense of paramours meeting rather than two people truly in love.
But the upside of the movie can't be denied. It touches on relationships
in a way that most films can't get close to, and does so in a dramatic
and thought-provoking way. And ogling at the stunning mountain backdrops
added that extra bit of flavor, too.
(back to top) |
Image from Brokeback
Mountain
DVD cost: $9.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
During its first weekend
of release (playing in only five US theaters), this set a record for the
highest per-screen gross of any non-animated movie in history.
Movie Quote: "If
you can't fix it, you gotta stand it."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Brokeback Mountain
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