No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men has already been reviewed here at mister anchovy's, by STAGG. We saw it tonight, and I'll add a few brief comments. No Country for Old Men is a grim film. The world is grim. Life is a coin toss. Most of the characters in the film get killed. You might as well retire, like the Sheriff, because there's no point trying to stem the tide.
I don't know what I expected. I mean, I read the book.
No Country for Old Men is really well made and well acted and written and directed and all that. Just grim, that's all. Way grim.
There is, by the way, a scene featuring a little group playing Norteno music. The squeezebox player was playing an old Hohner 3-row. We were treated to several seconds of their music. It was an incidental scene, but a bright spot none-the-less.
8 comments:
We nudged each other during the accordion scene in the movie thinking of ya!
I found the cinematography riveting...the reflection of Chugirh in the trailer tv, later the reflection of Sheriff Bell in same tv. I loved the slow sillouettes of the characters. I found the acting absolutely top notch. Woody Harrelson was basically a cameo but he was superb as the fellow special forces man who had worked with Chugurh.
For me the movie honors the novels brilliant use of game theory. The constant referral to "accountability" "currency" , numbers appear over and over, hotel room numbers, how many beds, what number for a room amount, 50/50, coins, dates, volumes...and at least two characters say "You don't have to do this" referring to outcomes and strategy and foreshadowing a possible alternative "play."
...the movie tagline upholds your feeling of grim. "There are no clean getaways"
Except that's not exactly true. There is a clean getaway in the figure of Sheriff Bell if you don't play the game and reject the rules. A grim concept indeed to swallow in our society that believes if you work hard, play the game and fight a good fight justice is served, you can control events and reward awaits.
The story rejects the gung-ho values of contemporary society and the idea that we can improve our society when it is our society that created the rules for psycho-killers and drug economy to thrive.
Grim. But not entirely without hope...if one rejects the game rules.
Now that is a scary concept for most people.
I really want to see it but...that grim is it?
Now that I've read candy minx's comment, I know I want to see it. Thanks candy minx.
The Sheriff a clean getaway? I wonder about that...
SP, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts after you've seen the film.
S.P. make no mistake, this is a violent film and could be disturbing to many viewers. But I believe it is brilliant and should be at least nominated for Oscars in cinematography, directors, actors, and best film.
Well...maybe Mister Anchovy...you are saying he has been tainted by what he has seen in the line of duty?
It's true that it seems he had to come in contact with such tragedy before he could walk away.
On the other hand his uncleIEnnis warns him that his ideal to try and "fix things" as they are is vanity...
I believe it may be that the release from the cycle of violence and his own contribution rather than curtailing it...a kind of survivors guilt is abated by his uncles wisdom.
I felt that the very oving ending...in fact, I am choking up as I consider it now...of the father figure riding ahead with the horn and fire protected within the horn...in his dreams after he has renuciated his former "life" career" vanity" is not only a sign of hope...but of regneration and interconnectness between potential generations of wisdom: literary, mythological and for lucky people from parent to child.
I am not claiming that this is the only way to understand the dream but it is how I felt very moved by the scene...and I would be very interested about why you feel the Sheriff may not have accomplished walking away or what cost or "taint" you experience....
This is on my huge list of movies to see. Someday.
I need to see this movie. ASAP. Thanks for the great discussions -
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