No Country For Old Men

A lot of movies are referred to with the appellation of ‘classic’. Some even deserve the title and many do not reach this illustrious level in cinema until years after the initial release. This is not the case for the 2007 film ‘No Country For Old Men’. It is an immediate classic and for good reason, it is a great film. Just last night it was the favorite at the Academy Awards bringing home the little golden man for ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Supporting Actor’, ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Screen play from previously published material’. It was also nominated for four additional awards. These accolades were not part of a popularity contest they were all well earned in a year of truly incredible films. The film based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy and directed by the Coen Brothers; Joel and Ethan. It also includes a cast and crew that any director would give up a limb to have. This is a violent film and unlike most movies that depend on bloodshed to sell tickets and discs this one contains a plot and a very involved one at that. It is not a film to watch in the background while friends are visiting. ‘Country’ demands the full attention of the audience. Not that that is a difficult thing to do. The film will pull you in and keep you riveted to the screen for the entire 122 minute running time. Thankfully you do not have to wait to own a copy of this film on DVD. Miramax is releasing the film and now you can go through it with care absorbing every detail.

This is in many ways a surprising film to come from the brilliant minds of the Brothers Coen. They have an excellent track record having written and directed such well received films as ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’, ‘The Big Lebowsk’ and ‘Fargo’. They were getting a reputation for lighter comedies and managed to attract actors at the top of their game to their productions. Then, out of the blue they release ‘Country’ and they reveal that they are the best there is in crime dramas. This is a genre that has become diluted over recent years with so many flicks using a thin plot to hold together one bloody scene after another. The script that the Coen brothers created is true to the impact of eh novel. The characters and dialogue are crafted with care and contain a depth that has not been seen in many years. To prevent this film from becoming too intense they were able to inject the correct amount of humor from the most unlike sources. Unlike some of their earlier works the humor here is dark and deadly. It puts a little smile on the face of the audience making the next occurrence of violence explode in your consciousness. As writers they do the nearly impossible. They can convey a story that does not required endless, pointless dialogue. Some of the best scenes are without words. As directors they were able to trust their actors in getting the story out in a non verbal fashion. When there is dialogue it rips through the scene like a knife leaving you amazed as to its construction.

In the area of direction there is really nothing to compare this work to. It is innovated and fresh; something this genre has not seen in awhile. The Coens make fantastic use of the bleak desert landscape here. It reflects and reinforces the desolate nature of the characters and resounds through the audience. At its heart this is a chase movie but the Coens make it into something were the impending danger is palpable to the viewers. These men do not direct in a traditional style; they create their own. You know the three main characters are on a collision course, there is the natural anticipation of the impending conflict but the journey is what makes this a great film. Each character is given the right amount of time to develop a unique part of the story and personality. At the end of the film you know these people.

As the film opens we hear the monotone voice of sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones). He muses on the growing violence in his little part of the world. He recalls a teenaged boy who was convicted of killing his girlfriend. It was referred to as a crime of passion but the boy admitted there was no passion; he had wanted to kill someone for a long time. He has been in the job for much of his adult life and is about to retire. His little community has just gotten a lot more dangerous. There was a shootout, a dispute over a drug deal. Left behind is $2 million in drug money. This cache was found by a Viet Nam veteran Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) who literally takes the money and runs. The people who are out of the cash are understandably not happy about it. They engage the services of a professional hit man, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). He is a brutal, unrelenting killer whose weapon of choice is a cattle gun. This large cylinder slams a metal bolt to the business end of the gun. It is used to smash the skulls of cows just before they are slaughtered. Its effects on human beings, walls and locks are the same; little tiny pieces. A competing assassin, Carson Wells (Woody Harrelson), is also after the loot but next to the menacing form of Chigurl he is no match.

There are several familiar Coen brother themes used in this film. One is the influence of destiny on a person’s actions. Chigurl will give a potential victim a chance not to die. He takes out a coin and asks ‘what is the most you have ever lost on a bet?’ Even with this brutal man there is no free will. He will let fate decide the outcome. There is the question of whether it was destiny for Moss to find the money. He was at a place and time that would drastically alter his life. Finding two million dollar may seem great until you turn around and see a man with a limp and funny haircut coming at you with a cattle gun. The characters have free will but it is often superseded by the way destiny unfolds. In many ways the loot is a classic Hitchcock MacGuffin. It is vital to the motivation of the character but not really important to the audience. Few have used this plot device as well as Hitchcock but the Coens have reached the same level as the master with its use. Another theme the Coen brothers enjoy exploring is that true evil is all but impossible to stop. In most crime films the forces of good will always prevail but here it appears that there is nothing to stop pure evil in the form of Chigurl.

This was a script that was close to the novel, far more than most ‘based on’ flicks, but there were some necessary alterations to condense the story for film. The genius of the Coen brothers is they were able to do this without sacrificing the impact of the novel. They also kept the distinctive literary voices of the three main characters. This, of course, was greatly added by this ultra-talented cast. Tommy Lee Jones is originally from the region of west Texas depicted in the story. He has an innate power to his characterization that demonstrates yet again that he is one of the most intense actors in the business. This man just gets better in ever film. He personifies the sheriff as a man tired of watching the growing violence, driven by a sense of duty. James Brolin may have started his career as a second generation actor, son of James Brolin, but his has planted his own flag on the landscape now. He may have been in this career for years but this is a breakout role for him. Speaking of breakout roles the performance by Javier Bardem is incredible. Formerly he was best known for Spanish language films but now it has rightfully taken his place as an international superstar. As this character Barden is able to push the rage and violence down showing an unemotional character. Then a spark ignites and he explodes. This performance is the very definition of greatness.

There is no thought necessary about the DVD release of this film. It is one of the truly must have films for anyone who appreciates the art of cinema. Mirimax gives you the option of a regular DVD or Blu-ray so no matter what type of home theater you have this is a version right for you. You can watch this film many times and each viewing will reveal something new.

Posted 03/03/08