No Country For Old Men (2007)
May 20th 2008 07:16
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald
Directors: Ethan and Joel Coen
Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen
Running Time: 122 minutes
All cards on the table – this is hardly going to be an objective review as I am a huge Coen Brothers fan, so you'll have to indulge my excesses in that regard. Once again they deliver in style and it’s no thanks to powerhouse performances by Bardem and Brolin, as well as a smart script well directed by the brothers.
Basic outline: Brolin is trailer trash hunter Llewelyn Moss who stumbles across a wad of cash, heroin and dead bodies in the desert of western Texas - the result of a drug deal gone wrong. He takes the bag filled with cash without initially realising it has a homing device. Understandably the owners of the money want it back so send a hired killer (Bardem) after Moss to retrieve their property and do away with the thief. However, Moss is no pushover and thus the game of cat and mouse begins.
A lot of the kudos surrounding the film was aimed at Bardem’s character Anton Chigurh – a narcisstic, pathological killer who is a contradiction in terms – you think he is a cold-blooded killer with no emotions or mores, only to find he does have a warped sense of morality, which is unfortunate for those that cross his path. But I’d also like to point out that the under rated Brolin also does an outstanding job as the hunted Moss, and Harrelson’s cameo is well executed.
About the only negative aspect of film is the inclusion of Lee Jones’ character, which really doesn’t add much to the story line. His part either needed to be cut altogether or expanded. As pic ended, I was having trouble deciding how much the role brought to the table, but when everything is added up, doesn’t negate from the overall excellence of the pic.
4.5 stars out of 5
Notable Awards: Oscars Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor; BAFTAs Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor
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