No Country For Old Men – Review
This is the best movie I’ve seen since Quentin Tarrentino’s “Pulp Fiction” in 1994.
The two movies share about the same level of graphic violence. While Tarrentino gives us interesting and quirky characters, the Cohen brothers (“Fargo”) bring us very believable characters caught in extraordinary circumstances. The pace of the movie is relentless.
My wife and I drove down to Toledo for Thanksgiving with the family. After the game, my wife, my sister and I found the new state-of-the-art cinemaplex with the cushy recliner-like seats. The seats are so steep, Marge Simpson could not interrupt your view of the screen, were she in front. You’re only going to use that recliner during the preview, because this flick will have you on the edge of your seat throughout.
Our protagonist is hunting impala in the desert West when he stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and onto a briefcase with several million dollars in it. White trailer-trash, he takes the money and runs. I don’t know how familiar you are with the drug trade, but the folks in this business aren’t fond of losing their drugs or their money and have a guy whose speciality is tracking money-thieving-trailer-trash down.
The assassin in charge of recovery makes Hannibal Lechter look like the Santa at the Mall. This mo’fo’ kills people like I change my socks and with about as much emotion. We’ve all seen Tommy Lee Jones play lawmen before, but not like this. The bluster is gone and we see a real sheriff with his hands more than full. Woody Harrelson makes a brief but believable appearance as a lawman also.
I can’t really say much more without giving too much away. The movie is perfectly cast. A local reviewer said much of the dialog was taken verbatim from the book on which the movie was based. The dialog is spectacular; there is not a misplaced word in the movie. I’d consider sticking my fingers back in the table saw if I knew it could make me write like that. I can’t say enough.
This isn’t the film for your sister-in-law who doesn’t even tolerate the violence level of Schwarzenegger. But if you want to sit on the edge of your seat for an hour and a half, hoping he’ll pull it off, this is the movie for you.
Kowboy
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