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No
Country For Old Men
(2007)
It's rare that I leave a theater literally speechless. I
guess it's fitting that the film which has left me in this
state most recently is the dialogue-deficient No Country
For Old Men, the newest addition to an already impressive
cadre of cinematic masterpieces by the Coen Brothers.
Set in 1980 Texas, No Country For Old Men (based on the Cormac
McCarthy novel of the same name) is less about characters or
even plot than it is about the inevitability of time and the unstoppable
progression of cause and effect. On the surface, the film follows Llewelyn
Moss (Josh Brolin) as his life is turned upside down after stumbling across
a drug deal gone wrong. With over two million dollars, he flees through
the state, running from a ruthless killer (Javier Bardem) while aging Sheriff
Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) futilely attempts to catch the killer. The
Coens deftly pace the film so that one truly gets the sense of cause and
effect, and characters (even main ones) introduce themselves at irregular
intervals as the film progresses, present only when something brings them
in. And in a film about a wild assassin, it's not a shock that characters
leave the story with similar irregularity, but the film flows so naturally
that it creates a completely unique storytelling experience.
One of the most effective (and most noticeable) elements of No Country For
Old Men is the palpable silence that overwhelms nearly every scene. From
the very onset, sound editor Skip Lievsay, a veteran Coen collaborator, creates
an aural landscape as barren as the Texas desert which continues until the very
end of the film. While horror and suspense films have relied on music for much
of their mood, the lack of sound effects, music and dialogue in No Country is
as, if not more, effective at creating a strong sense of dread and edge-of-your-seat
suspense. The Coen Brothers have said for years that they wanted to make a silent
film to pay homage to their influences, and though this isn't a silent film by
definition, it might be as close as the pair ever come to realizing
their dream.
The overpowering stillness of the film is amplified by Roger Deakins' glorious
35mm cinematography. In the style of the best Westerns of John Ford or Howard
Hawks, No Country utilizes the bleak flat landscape as a character within
the film. Even the interior or urban scenes have a beauty to them that is rarely
found in films today. If one were to freeze any frame of the film, it wouldn't
be a stretch to see that image on the wall of a museum, as every shot is a carefully
crafted work of art. After five Oscar nominations, this might just be the film
to get Deakins a statuette.
On the topic of visuals, No Country For Old Men breaks from some of
the characteristic styles of the Coen brothers, and the directors abandon their
highly stylized, sometimes surreal imagery, instead opting for a more realistic
feel. Replacing the visual thrust of their wit with a more subtle script and
carfeully conceived performances, Joel and Ethan have created the perfect stage
on which the film's amazing cast can (and does) shine. Josh Brolin, who is quickly
becoming a Hollywood A-lister, delivers one of the best performances in the film
as Llewelyn, who serves as catalyst for the film's conflict. He is paralleled
by Bardem, who creates a truly menacing killer (using perhaps the greatest and
most terrifying improvised weapon in cinema history), and whose interactions
with Brolin and supporting characters will chill you to the bone. While I expected
Jones to play a larger role, and be more involved in the action, his reflective
sheriff holds everything together, though he's never part of the primary conflict,
and he places the events in the overall context of the film quite adeptly.
Subtlety is the key in No Country For Old Men, and the Coens appear
to have mastered it better than they ever have in the past. The sardonic irony
of everything never overshadows the drama and suspense of the film, and while
the audience may find themselves laughing at times, they'll never quite forget
the threat of violence that lingers palpably throughout the entire movie. Not
since Fargo have the Coen Brothers assembled a film in which all the
pieces fall into place so flawlessly. If it is truly no country for old men,
the Coens, who've been making films for nearly twenty-five years, have proven
that they are not old or obsolete, and remain two of the most important filmmakers
in this or any age. No Country For Old Men is
a must-see.
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All contents ©
2004-2009 Thoughtsonfilm.com |
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Director:
Ethan
Coen & Joel Coen
Writer: Ethan
Coen, & Joel Coen, Cormac McCarthy
Starring: Josh
Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt
Distributor: Miramax
Films
Runtime: 122
min
Rating: R
Release Date: November
21, 2007
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