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The Three Burials of
Melquiades Estrada
Directed by: Tommy Lee Jones
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones
Genre:
Drama/Action-Adventure
Run Time: 121
min.
Release Date:
February 2006
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
With a title like this, one might think
this would be a rather depressing story. Burying someone three times
seems ...well ...dark. And although THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES
ESTRADA has its dark tones, the film is anything but depressing.
Directed and starring Tommy Lee Jones (NO
COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN), the movie watcher
is guided through a plot unlike any I've seen.
Nonlinear storylines in film are not uncommon (ala MOMENTO) and this one
takes us down that well-trodden path, too. But here we get to see the
burial of Melquiades Estrada (Julio Cedillo,
THE MIST) through multiple
viewpoints. First we see it through Pete Perkins' (Tommy Lee). He's a
rancher who befriends the luckless Mexican. Melquiades Estrada crossed
the Mexico/Texas border illegally and is simply looking to make a better
life for himself. He tells Pete that he wants to make things better for
his wife and children in Mexico, too, but that if anything should happen
to him, Pete has to promise to take him back to his little hometown in
Mexico and bury him. Pete reluctantly agrees.
Next we get to see Mike Norton (Barry Pepper,
FLAGS OF OUR
FATHERS), a
newly employed US Border Patrol Agent and his wife Lou Ann (January
Jones) move to a one-horse border town. Lou Ann is a
shallow and immature young woman who only wants to go to "the mall" and
sexually pleases her husband in as boring a fashion one could imagine.
Barry's gung-ho attitude quickly gets him into trouble on the job. He
hates these Mexicans who are continually trying to cross the border.
Always on the lookout for "the enemy" Barry's thoughtless reaction to
stray gunshots being fired end up causing Melquiades Estrada's death.
Barry covers it up (the first burial) and tries to forget about it.
The third set of eyes which we get to see the burials from are,
surprisingly, Melquiades himself. After his death and first burial, his
corpse is soon discovered and brought into town for identification. His
name is incorrectly listed, a grave marker erected, and he's
unceremoniously buried again (#2).
When Pete discovers what happened to his friend, and who was
responsible, he quickly takes matters into his own hands. Pete ain't
happy that Mike Norton (Pepper) isn't being punished for what he did.
Few know about it and those that do are within the brotherhood of law
enforcement. Sooo ...Pete kidnaps Mike, forces him to dig up Melquiades'
body, then makes him haul the decaying corpse back to Mexico.
They cross the border and have great difficulty locating the dead man's
hometown. No one in Mexico recognizes the name of it, including his
wife. His wife? Doesn't she live in the town? Nope. In fact, the picture
of his wife and kids that Melquiades showed Pete aren't really his. Why
did he lie? Pete decides to find the town anyway and bury his friend
there. His search seems nearly fruitless until he stumbles across a
small half torn-down building in the middle of nowhere. He decides that
this must be the place. But is it? Much is left to the viewer's
interpretation here. Was Melquiades crazy or deluded? Or did Pete
really
find the town?
Regardless, Pete makes Mike bury Melquiades (the third time!) and then
releases Mike. It's a poignant moment when Pete releases him because
much has transpired since their ordeal began. Mike is now in Mexico
amongst "the enemies" he perceived when he was on the other side of the
border. But now, being in their midst, his radical tone softens. But
it's a hard realization and the film pulls it off without becoming
trite.
Tommy Lee Jones is an able actor and director and this film proves it.
Of course, Barry Pepper is no slouch either. Both pull in excellent
performances and the scenes of the Rio Grande and border towns are
perfectly portrayed.
This is a must see.
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Image from The Three
Burials of Melquiades Estrada
DVD cost: $8.99
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
In "Lonesome Dove" (1989)
Tommy Lee Jones also goes on a long horseback journey taking his dead
friend home to bury him.
Movie Quote: "Promise
me one thing, Pete. If I die over here, carry me back to my family and
bury me in my home town. I don't want to be buried on this side among
all the fucking billboards."
Other Actors/Actresses
from The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
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