No Country for Old Men
Joel and Ethan Coen have done something unusual - they have turned a terrific book into a film that is outstanding. In other words, they have made a movie that is even better than the book.
On the surface the story appears to be a simple one. The film starts off with Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) lamenting about the violent (and vile) world that we live in. Bell is nearing retirement age and it couldn't have come at a moment too soon.
In the next scene we see the work of the chilling Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), the greatest screen villain since Hannibal Lecter. And the third scene focuses on Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) as he is trying to shoot an antelope. But as he looks beyond the animals he finds drugs and a whole lot of money.
I don't want to say much more about the plot. If you read the book you know what happens. And if you didn't then I don't want to tell you what happens.
The film is stark in its beauty. Roger Deakins' cinematography is just stunning. The Coens direct the film without one extra shot - this is lean filmmaking at its best. Their script is faithful to the book. All of the acting, from the leads to the smallest role, are spot on. Jones is poignant as the cynical Bell. Brolin proves that he is one fine actor in his portrayal of Moss. And Bardem
is absolutely chilling as Chigurh. All of the supporting acting is great too - including Woody Harrelson as bounty hunter Carson Welles and Kelly MacDonald as Moss's wife Carla Jean (the Scottish actress had a perfect Southern twang). Bravo to the Coens for leaving the ending as it should be.
No Country for Old Men deals with the nature of violence as well as fate. You leave the theater with an eerie feeling. But you also want to see more - I walked out wanting to see it again (on DVD I will be able to play certain scenes over and over again). We are now heading towards mid November and I can say that at this point in the year No Country is the best film (so far). Run, don't walk, to your local movie theater and see this film.
As an extra treat (I saw the film at a screening before it was released) Bardem and Brolin were at the screening that I saw. They provided insight into the film and signed my copy of No Country.
On the surface the story appears to be a simple one. The film starts off with Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) lamenting about the violent (and vile) world that we live in. Bell is nearing retirement age and it couldn't have come at a moment too soon.
In the next scene we see the work of the chilling Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), the greatest screen villain since Hannibal Lecter. And the third scene focuses on Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) as he is trying to shoot an antelope. But as he looks beyond the animals he finds drugs and a whole lot of money.
I don't want to say much more about the plot. If you read the book you know what happens. And if you didn't then I don't want to tell you what happens.
The film is stark in its beauty. Roger Deakins' cinematography is just stunning. The Coens direct the film without one extra shot - this is lean filmmaking at its best. Their script is faithful to the book. All of the acting, from the leads to the smallest role, are spot on. Jones is poignant as the cynical Bell. Brolin proves that he is one fine actor in his portrayal of Moss. And Bardem
is absolutely chilling as Chigurh. All of the supporting acting is great too - including Woody Harrelson as bounty hunter Carson Welles and Kelly MacDonald as Moss's wife Carla Jean (the Scottish actress had a perfect Southern twang). Bravo to the Coens for leaving the ending as it should be.
No Country for Old Men deals with the nature of violence as well as fate. You leave the theater with an eerie feeling. But you also want to see more - I walked out wanting to see it again (on DVD I will be able to play certain scenes over and over again). We are now heading towards mid November and I can say that at this point in the year No Country is the best film (so far). Run, don't walk, to your local movie theater and see this film.
As an extra treat (I saw the film at a screening before it was released) Bardem and Brolin were at the screening that I saw. They provided insight into the film and signed my copy of No Country.
posted by Film Fanatic | 3:50 PM
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