No Country For Old Men

Sure, the Oscars are just around the corner. Sure, I consider myself a movie buff.  Sure, this movie's buzz merits a viewing faster than you can say 'dixie.' So why did it take me so long for me to go see it? I blame society.

No Country For Old Men falls neatly after I just saw Juno and There Will Be Blood, because, in a sense, it is a bit of a mixture of both.  Juno is the unconventional comedy that works hard for a genuine chuckle, rather than a cheap gut laugh.  There Will Be Blood is the visually stunning, chilling drama that lingers...mostly for its brash approach and how it beckons people to choose to either love or hate some of its most intriguing moments.  NCFOM is somewhere in between, but above both. 

The direction of the Cohen brothers needs another round of applause like I need another reason to procrastinate.  But here it is, anyway: This is not as good as Fargo. It is better.  I know that is tantamount to being sacrilegious in the art of filmmaking, but I whole-heartedly believe it.  This movie is as if Fargo was stripped of all the quirks that quickly became part of the Cohen brand (which some people hate them for), and was left with only lean, fat-free raw meat. 

When the movie is meant to be funny, it is, but not right away.  The Cohen brand of humor is much more natural, as if you were joking around with a good friend when you are in your 50's, not when you are 15, as many movies try to get their laughs.  And the Cohen brothers have such a handle on pacing that it never feels as if the scene is lingering for too long or if the next scene was rushed.  This serves as a great way for them to make this movie a spectacular showcase of their talents.  While I felt that There Will Be Blood is a movie that you admire more than love, NCFOM is one you love for how admirable it is.  The suspense and thrill packed in this movie is razor-sharp.  If you have seen Fincher's Zodiac, then you might feel a bit of deja vu when you see some of the most tense scenes in NCFOM.  They both use great positioning of the viewer to maximize the tension, all the while taking the time necessary to make you want to squirm.

This movie is not just a celebration of the directors.  The ensemble cast deserves a hearty helping of praise.  The cast won the SAG's Best Ensemble Cast award, and I damn sure should have.  Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald, are all amazing.  Bardem has already won or been nominated for every award under the sun, probably including Best 4-star crash rating, Best Rap Video of the Year, and the toothpaste dentists recommend the most, but it is well deserved.  In my book, he is this year's Forest Whitaker, poised to win his Oscar.  His consistently unnerving and complex Chigurh is the embodiment of the Modern, or New, Man.  He has a ruthless code of ethics, that are really not that ethical.  His intentions surpass money, women, or fame.  He has no intentions, but to do what he wants and control the destiny of as many as he can.  His violent streak is ingrained in him.  It is not a part of him, it IS him.  He shows no emotion, except for a cocky smile every now and then.  The ending is a matter of much contention.  It should be.  But I believe it is really the best way to end the allegory that is NCFOM.  The New Man and the Old Man are in this world...what does that mean?  Where are we headed? Who will survive?

The Old Man is Tommy Lee Jones' Sheriff Bell.  He has his own code of ethics, and indeed they are ethical.  He is often surprised at how people can act so unhuman-like.  What happened to the humanity in humanity?  He is philosophical, he takes his time, and he cherishes the occasional banter with his wife and colleagues.  He is the Old Man.  This is no longer a country for him.  Tommy Lee Jones should be yelling and storming around, with the lack of respect he has received from the higher ups in Oscardom for his outstanding performance.  Just watching him ponder and philosophize is a treat.  You can see how much fun he is having with himself, and you can see how much he is empathizing with a man in his situation: a good man trying to make some good come out of this hellish mess between guys who are not Old, but New, and have no respect for the old ways of living.

The other New Man is Josh Brolin's Llewelyn Moss.  A hunter, a Texan, a man in the middle.  He is not Old like Bell, but he is also not New like Chigurh.  He has believes in doing good, but he also wants his own piece of the pie.  He smirks at life AND death, but only with a bit of displeasure coming with it.  His wife (Macdonald) is a great exposer of his rugged and soft side.  With her, he is kind, teasing, brash, old-school masculine, and new-school feminine.  He is brought to this hell because he was greedy enough to take the money, and because he was nice enough to help someone one out.  Where does that put him? It puts him in what Jones' Bell calls the "mess".

No Country For Old Men may not be a perfect movie, with the displeasure some of its scenes (especially its ending) and tones might cause in many, or the fact that it plays with the audience a bit, switching moods fast enough to make the weak hearted get queasy.  It is pretty close to perfection, though.  If you hold Fargo near and dear to your heart, then let me introduce you to its older brother.