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A Mom's Review
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See what Mom thinks of the movies that are out now.
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Articles
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| Brokeback Mountain |
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moviecritic writes, "Both looking for work in 1963, cowboys Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhall) and Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) are paired up and sent to Brokeback Mountain to help herd sheep for the summer. Finding an easygoing friendship based on mutual hardship, the relationship gets complicated quickly when Jack takes Ennis into his tent one cold night, and the two take their companionship to the next level. Unable to deal with their love for each other, the men reluctantly go their separate ways, eventually finding wives (Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway) and siring children over the years, but still processing the deep, complex love between them. Periodically reconnecting during visits and getaways, it becomes clear that the difficulty of trying to accept their feelings might eventually unravel them for good."
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Out of a very unexpected place, director Ang Lee has created one of the most affecting romances of the year, along with one of the best pictures. Uncompromising, touching, and surprising, "Brokeback Mountain" crosses all gender and political lines and fashions a demonstrative story about people, not agendas.
Set against the mountains and prairies of Canada (subbing for Wyoming), "Brokeback" is a lush and visually stupendous western, carefully paced so Lee can get the audience used to the detailed movement of the story. There is great care in depicting the splendor of the titular location, almost reaching a point in which the unspoiled lands are as profoundly moving as the story. Assisting Lee with the script (along with Diana Ossana) is co-writer Larry McMurtry ("Lonesome Dove") who lends the film a strong cowboy pedigree in the day-to-day business that Jack and Ennis attend to.
As the nights grow colder, "Brokeback" starts to untangle the love story between the main characters; Lee doesn't soft-pedal their sexual adventures, rendering Jack and Ennis almost gladiatorial in the way they forcefully seduce each other. What starts as seemingly furious shoving and wrestling ends up quite the opposite, allowing for a realistic portrayal of confusion and denial, especially on Ennis's part, who is mystified by his own urges. "Brokeback" isn't graphic, and that never seems part of Lee's design. He's making an emotional film, not a button pushing one, which wraps the viewer up tighter into the story.
Miraculously, the script doesn't waste a moment furthering the mental condition of the characters, efficiently detailing over 20 years worth of growth and neglect in just over two hours. Lee and his editors create a gentle flow to the picture that weaves in and out of heartbreak as Jack and Ennis grow older and lead increasingly complicated lives. Their hearts lie on the mountain, but their responsibilities and fear keep them apart. Lee refuses melodrama and consistently reaches for the most honest, emotionally truthful feeling in every scene. Much like the rodeo bulls Jack rides on the side for money, Lee is faced with a difficult picture that attempts to buck him at every opportunity, yet he always maintains control. "Brokeback" is an incredible piece of direction, even for Lee, who has made a career out of impressive cinema.
While the performances are uniformly fantastic, nothing can quite prepare the mind for the work that Heath Ledger provides. As an actor prone to overcompensating, Ledger's Ennis is a man of decidedly few words, yet is a thunderstorm of heartache on the inside. This is quite literally a full-bodied performance, using all of Ledger as Ennis thrashes about watching his life fall apart due to his self-loathing, distance, and towering regret. Unable to give himself over to his feelings, Ennis's heart withers and dies, only witnessing moments of happiness with Jack, which allows him to be the man he wants to be without fear of judgment. Saying Ledger is Oscar-worthy here isn't strong enough: this is a career-best performance, and a crucial element to the necessary feeling of frustration that powers the film.
As the years flow by, and Jack and Ennis try to determine what they mean to each other, "Brokeback" stops being the "gay cowboy film," and begins to represent real love by any standard or example. The film is about long-term connection between humans, in ways most mainstream Hollywood productions have long since abandoned. "Brokeback Mountain" is an intimate story of affection, but it decimates the heart with passion and clarity.
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Posted on Dec 15, 2005 12:21pm.
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