No Country For Old Men Essay
Film Evaluation: No Country For Old Men
The film No Country for Old Men, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, stars Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem. This film would best be described as an edge of your seat suspense, yet includes moments of dry, yet twisted and sadistic humor. One may not pick up on it if they are not paying close enough attention. This film is good at keeping the audience wondering what’s going to happen next and does not fully give away the plot until further into the movie, unlike most do. No Country for Old Men weighs in at just over two hours, but there will not be a dull moment in sight. The film takes place in 1980 in West Texas and paves the way for anything from drug running to action packed shootouts. …show more content…
The opening scene kicks off with Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) being placed into the back of a squad car on the side of a flat, arid, desert highway. He is taken to the jail where a tad bit of his character is revealed by the deputy speaking on the phone to someone and telling them who he has just apprehended. Bardem makes his escape in a way that ends quite badly for the unsuspecting deputy and sets out with his newly found freedom in a stolen squad car. Bardem, most likely in an attempt to avoid detection, or maybe for some perverse satisfaction, pulls over an unsuspecting motorist. After politely asking the motorist to step out of the car, he dispatches the man with a bulky cattle gun, attached to a tank of compressed air and takes his car. Throughout the film you will also notice Bardem enjoys playing a game of chance with a coin, allowing a person to call heads or tails, and one can bet what happens if they pick the wrong side. Out of all these barbaric acts, he fails to show little emotion and that little bit that is displayed appears to be joyfulness.
Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is the character who gives Bardem his main sense of purpose in this film.
Brolin is the typical, country born and raised cowboy someone would expect from West Texas, living in a small trailer with his wife and no kids. He enjoys getting laughs at her expense, but there is a certain feeling of discontent from Brolin. One day he is out hunting and makes a less than perfect shot on an antelope, which he attempts to track down using the blood trail. That blood trail leads him to what he ends thinking is his lucky day. Brolin approaches several vehicles in the middle of the desert and finds several dead bodies that appear to be the aftermath of a Mexican standoff, fully automatic weapons at their sides. He opens the door to one vehicle and finds a man, shot in the stomach, barely alive and begging for water. He leaves him for dead and finds a large stash of heroin in the bed of the vehicle and shortly thereafter, finds a bag with two million dollars inside. That bag of money opens up the storyline and puts Brolin on Bardem’s “to do” list, after Brolin has a sudden and intense feeling of guilt, returning later that night to bring the dying man some water. He observes men in a vehicle slash his tires and he barely escapes several shots fired by the unknown men. Bardem is then hired to get the money back. Brolin sends his wife packing and he too takes flight with Bardem in close
pursuit.
Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) plays the witty, West Texas Sheriff in this film, who tracks both Brolin and Bardem after catching scent of what is happening in his county. His role is not the lead in this film, but the passion he leads his role with is more than enough to make him a very interesting character with plenty of memorable and wit filled quotes such as, “Here last week they found this couple out in California. They rent out rooms for old people, kill'em, bury'em in the yard, cash their social security checks. Well, they'd tortur'em first, I don't know why. Maybe the television set was broke.”
Director of photography Roger Deakins does a spectacular job of transitioning scenes from one of two shades, bright or dark. Deakins always keeps a dark, non-stylish edge to the entire film. This helps set the tones of characters and important events that come to pass
The film was largely lacking in a musical score, but it appeared to have been done with purpose, allowing the audience to become more entwined in the plot and what really mattered most.
The audience may realize that none of the three main characters ever occupy the screen at the same time, even as the three become closer and closer to one another in the plot. This allows the audience to become more fully immersed in each character’s traits and role.
Although not for the feint at heart, this movie is sure to become an instant classic, boasting a great cast selection, an unpredictable plot, edge of your seat scenes, and a storyline that will keep you wanting more, unable to take your eyes off the screen. The Coen brothers have produced their best work since Fargo and No Country for Old Men looks like a promise of more to come.
The film No Country for Old Men, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, stars Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem. This film would best be described as an edge of your seat suspense, yet includes moments of dry, yet twisted and sadistic humor. One may not pick up on it if they are not paying close enough attention. This film is good at keeping the audience wondering what’s going to happen next and does not fully give away the plot until further into the movie, unlike most do. No Country for Old Men weighs in at just over two hours, but there will not be a dull moment in sight. The film takes place in 1980 in West Texas and paves the way for anything from drug running to action packed shootouts. …show more content…
The opening scene kicks off with Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) being placed into the back of a squad car on the side of a flat, arid, desert highway. He is taken to the jail where a tad bit of his character is revealed by the deputy speaking on the phone to someone and telling them who he has just apprehended. Bardem makes his escape in a way that ends quite badly for the unsuspecting deputy and sets out with his newly found freedom in a stolen squad car. Bardem, most likely in an attempt to avoid detection, or maybe for some perverse satisfaction, pulls over an unsuspecting motorist. After politely asking the motorist to step out of the car, he dispatches the man with a bulky cattle gun, attached to a tank of compressed air and takes his car. Throughout the film you will also notice Bardem enjoys playing a game of chance with a coin, allowing a person to call heads or tails, and one can bet what happens if they pick the wrong side. Out of all these barbaric acts, he fails to show little emotion and that little bit that is displayed appears to be joyfulness.
Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is the character who gives Bardem his main sense of purpose in this film.
Brolin is the typical, country born and raised cowboy someone would expect from West Texas, living in a small trailer with his wife and no kids. He enjoys getting laughs at her expense, but there is a certain feeling of discontent from Brolin. One day he is out hunting and makes a less than perfect shot on an antelope, which he attempts to track down using the blood trail. That blood trail leads him to what he ends thinking is his lucky day. Brolin approaches several vehicles in the middle of the desert and finds several dead bodies that appear to be the aftermath of a Mexican standoff, fully automatic weapons at their sides. He opens the door to one vehicle and finds a man, shot in the stomach, barely alive and begging for water. He leaves him for dead and finds a large stash of heroin in the bed of the vehicle and shortly thereafter, finds a bag with two million dollars inside. That bag of money opens up the storyline and puts Brolin on Bardem’s “to do” list, after Brolin has a sudden and intense feeling of guilt, returning later that night to bring the dying man some water. He observes men in a vehicle slash his tires and he barely escapes several shots fired by the unknown men. Bardem is then hired to get the money back. Brolin sends his wife packing and he too takes flight with Bardem in close
pursuit.
Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) plays the witty, West Texas Sheriff in this film, who tracks both Brolin and Bardem after catching scent of what is happening in his county. His role is not the lead in this film, but the passion he leads his role with is more than enough to make him a very interesting character with plenty of memorable and wit filled quotes such as, “Here last week they found this couple out in California. They rent out rooms for old people, kill'em, bury'em in the yard, cash their social security checks. Well, they'd tortur'em first, I don't know why. Maybe the television set was broke.”
Director of photography Roger Deakins does a spectacular job of transitioning scenes from one of two shades, bright or dark. Deakins always keeps a dark, non-stylish edge to the entire film. This helps set the tones of characters and important events that come to pass
The film was largely lacking in a musical score, but it appeared to have been done with purpose, allowing the audience to become more entwined in the plot and what really mattered most.
The audience may realize that none of the three main characters ever occupy the screen at the same time, even as the three become closer and closer to one another in the plot. This allows the audience to become more fully immersed in each character’s traits and role.
Although not for the feint at heart, this movie is sure to become an instant classic, boasting a great cast selection, an unpredictable plot, edge of your seat scenes, and a storyline that will keep you wanting more, unable to take your eyes off the screen. The Coen brothers have produced their best work since Fargo and No Country for Old Men looks like a promise of more to come.