November 17, 2007
No Country For Old Men
What's the most you ever lost on a coin toss? Call it, friend-o.
Starring: Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin
Rating: 10/10
Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Runtime: 122 minutes
Starring: Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin
Rating: 10/10
Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Runtime: 122 minutes
The Coen Brothers can do no wrong! OK, maybe Ladykillers wasn't an out of the park home run, but it was at least a stand up double. And when you look at the rest of their career . . . DAMN! And now they're back with one of the best movies of the year.No Country For Old Men may be a little much for those of you who know the Coen's best from their more comedic films, like Raising Arizona, Fargo, or The Big Lebowski . . . but if you're a fan of Miller's Crossing and Blood Simple, you're gonna love this. It's very much a dark crime drama . . . not many laughs in this one, but plenty of the Coen's trademark dialog, a plot that keeps you interested, and some of the best acting performances of the year. Hell, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching Tommy Lee Jones do anything . . . but his performance here was by far one of the best I've ever seen him give.
The hands down star of the film, though, is Javier Bardem. He damn well better get some nominations forBest Actor come awards season (and if they decide to give an award for Most Bizarre Haircut, he'll win hands down).
The man gives a very restrained performance that damn near overwhelms everyone else in the movie. He plays Anton Chigurh, an Über badass with the most original instrument of death I've seen outside of a Troma film, and no, it ain't that sawed off shotgun with the huge silencer . . . wait, did I just use the words Troma and film in the same sentence? Chigurh is a ruthless killer with a penchant for the philosophical, an existential exterminator who has no understanding of the concept of "humour", a single minded psychopath with a marked distaste for small talk. I want more!The script was based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy, and retains most of his existential musings on life, death, and change. It's challenging, it doesn't pander to the masses, it makes you think . . . and it entertains. lady lascivious and I had some good conversations on the way home about the possible resolutions of some of the characters and situations . . . things that were left unresolved in the film. We discussed the motivations and actions of the primary antagonist (played so masterfully by Bardem). In stark contrast to the way Hollywood spoon feeds entertainment to the mouth-breathing morons who queue up at the multiplexes every weekend, No Country for Old Men gives you a coherent plotline and narrative, but still leaves some things unresolved and unexplained . . . for those of us with the capacity to employ higher thought processes and engage in a quest for philosophical meaning, it's a rare treat.
This was one of the most satisfying film experiences I've had all year. I went in expecting greatness, and they actually exceeded my expectations. No excuse for missing this one!
And once again, CyberMonkeyDeathSquad gives you the trailer the MPAA doesn't want you to see!