- Rated R
- Suspense
- 2007
- Buy the DVD
All photos © Miramax Films
Reviewed by Jason Zingale
(jzingale@bullz-eye.com)
t’s been a long time since the Coen brothers delivered a film worthy of any critical recognition. The last one that comes to mind is the musical comedy “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” but for fans of the Coen’s trademark blood-and-money crime dramas, it goes as far back as 1996, when “Fargo” gained both critical and commercial success on its way to receiving seven Oscar nominations. Since then, the brotherly duo has been stuck in a bit of a creative rut, but with the release of their latest film, “No Country for Old Men,” it seems like their streak of bad luck has finally ended. Using Cormac McCarthy’s bestselling novel as a template, the Coen brothers have not only produced one of the best films of their careers, but have also delivered a clear frontrunner for this year’s Best Picture.
The film stars Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss, a blue collar Texan who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong in the middle of the desert. When he discovers a satchel filled with $2 million amongst all the dead bodies, Llewelyn decides to keep it for himself and treat his trailer-park wife (Kelly Macdonald) to a better life. What he doesn’t realize, however, is that a psychotic assassin (Javier Bardem) is hot on his trail, killing all those in his way with the combination of a cattle gun and a shotgun equipped with a spray can-sized silencer. Only those he deems lucky enough are given the chance at redemption with the flip of a coin, but for the most part, running into this dude means one thing. Meanwhile, town sheriff Ed Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) is thrust into the middle of the cat-and-mouse game when he attempts to end the feud once and for all.
Despite the obvious comparisons to other classic film heavies, Bardem’s Chigurh is unlike any onscreen villain you’ve ever seen. Walking around town with a Davy Jones haircut and dragging a CO2 canister by his side, you’d be remiss not to at least chuckle at the sight of him. That is, until you got a little closer. Bardem’s award-worthy performance is positively teeming with rabid insanity, from the opening shot of Chigurh as he strangles a deputy with handcuffs, to his final appearance in the closing minutes. His demeanor is made only more intimidating by a deep, demonic voice that sounds like Satan himself, and his eyes receive a terrifying jolt of passion during his spells of violence. Brolin’s Llewelyn may joke about Chigurh being “the ultimate badass,” but that assessment isn’t far off.
Of course, Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones are just as effective in their respective roles, and while they won’t be remembered quite like Bardem come awards time, they certainly deserve the recognition. Woody Harrelson’s limited appearance as a hired gun sent to curb Chigurh’s killing streak is also worthy of mention, but it comes off feeling like unnecessary baggage to a story better left focused on its three main characters. It’s true the film’s ending has a few shortcomings that keep it from attaining perfection, but the 100 minutes that precede it are so good it’s easy to forgive. The movie is violent, but not overdone and entirely necessary, while the brothers’ dark sense of humor flows throughout – mostly in offhand comments made between characters. The eerie absence of a musical score also ratchets up the tension, and though many likely won’t realize it’s even missing, it serves the film’s Hitchcockian moments well.
It may not seem like much on paper, but McCarthy’s novel is a winding tale that spins a heavy web of morality for its characters to maneuver, and though the similarities to the Coen’s earlier films are obvious (it could just as easily be described as “‘Fargo’ in the desert’), “No Country for Old Men” transcends these comparisons to become something much more. This isn’t just another notch on the Coen brothers’ career of exquisitely crafted crime dramas. It’s an American classic in the making, and the first must-see awards contender of the year.
Single-Disc DVD Review:
The single-disc release of “No Country for Old Men” was surely decided by a coin flip. That’s the only possible excuse I could think of as to why Buena Vista hasn’t announced a two-disc special edition with director commentary and hours of bonus material. Perhaps it’s in the works – especially after winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. For the time being, however, fans will have to live with this incredibly mediocre DVD, which consists of a 23-minute making-of featurette, a short profile on the Coens, and a third featurette (“Diary of a County Sheriff”) that continues an earlier discussion about the characters in the film.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |