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No Country For Old Men
Directed by: Ethan and Joel Coen
Starring: Javier Bardem
Genre:
Action-Adventure/ Drama/Thriller
Run Time: 122 min.
Release Date:
November 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
If you’re a Coen brothers
fan, you’re gonna be extremely delighted with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.
This is Ethan and Joel at the pinnacle of their directing careers,
something that should not be missed by anyone interested in film or
entertainment. Forget FARGO. Push aside THE BIG LEBOWSKI.
Move over O’ BROTHER WHERE ART THOU. No Country is leaps
and bounds beyond those. In fact, it reigns supreme as 2007's best film.
I don’t always agree with movie critics but this time they got it right.
It is the first time that Associated Press reviewers David Germain and
Christy Lemire have both selected the same film as their #1 pick. With
more award nominations than you could shake a stick at (including four
Golden Globes, three Screen Actors Guilds, probably a
gaggle of Oscars and many, many, many others), No Country
will undeniably have directors, actors and screenwriters jumping up on
stage come awards ceremony time.
Equal parts thriller, western, crime-drama, and action, No Country
weaves a tapestry of excellence throughout its length.
The first note of excellence must be directed at Spanish actor Javier
Bardem. Probably not very well known to most American audiences, Javier
has cemented himself as the leader in portraying a psychopathic killer
and (dare I say it!) has surpassed that of Anthony Hopkins in his
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS Hannibal Lecter role (something that I thought
would never happen). Ruthless, unforgiving, sociopathic, and in
desperate need of a new hair style, Anton Chigurh (Bardem) is flawless.
Every time he showed up on-screen I felt a chill run through my bones
(“Call it”). Absolutely perfect.
The next note of excellence must go to Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones.
Llewelyn Moss (Brolin,
PLANET TERROR) is the lucky/unlucky
soft-spoken Texas cowpoke/hunter who stumbles across a veritable fortune
in drug money only to be relentlessly pursued by killer Anton. Mr. Moss’
gradual decline in health (mainly due to wounds inflicted on him by
Anton) is painful to watch up until the very end. Sheriff Bell (Tommy
Lee Jones) is the opposite of
Anton Chigurh. He doesn’t understand all of the death and destruction
laid at his feet. He longs for a time when murders were easy to track
and solve, not these new-fangled deaths where bullets aren’t used
(air-guns do just fine) and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to
their patterns.
The fourth (perhaps this should’ve been first) note of excellence goes
to the Coen brothers for their perfect adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s
novel by the same name. Many lines of dialogue were lifted verbatim from
the novel itself, including the ending monologue by Tommy Lee. It’s
noteworthy to mention here that the Coen brothers not only directed but
wrote the screenplay, too.
The final note has to go Cinematographer Roger Deakins (he’s worked with
the Coen brothers on many occasions and also did the exemplary
JARHEAD
work). Every scene was so well thought-out and so convincingly filmed
that viewers are carried freakishly easy through this incredible story.
It’s difficult to do justice to this film with one short review, simply
because there are so many great elements to it. The casting was
spectacular — with Woody Harrelson (NORTH COUNTRY) and Kelly Macdonald
(THE GIRL IN THE CAFÉ) pulling in exceptional supporting roles — as was
Carter Burwell’s haunting original musical score and Mary Zophres
impeccable costume designs.
If you missed this film at your local cineplex, you may have gypped
yourself from experiencing this amazing cinematic event. Now you’ve
gotta wait for the DVD to be released and then ...it’s your call.
(back to top) |
Image from No Country For
Old Men
DVD cost: $19.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite?
Yes.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Contrary to most
successful films made from books, much of the film's action is taken
word for word from Cormac McCarthy's novel and occurs in the same order
of events. Bell's final speech in the film, for instance, can be read on
the final page of the book.
Movie Quote: "I'm
fixin' to do something dumber than hell but I'm going anyway."
Other Actors/Actresses
from No Country For Old Men
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