Coen and No Country for Old Men
AdventureMan and I watched No Country for Old Men last night, and oh! it held us on the edge of our chairs. At the end, we ran for the phone to call our son and ask “Whoa! What happened??”
In short, we loved the movie (and I can hardly wait to read the book, although Cormac McCarthy goes a lot darker than I care to go). The Coen brothers also go darker than I care to go, but we find ourselves drawn to their movies because there is so much thought put into them, so many references to other genres, other films, and because the characters are so true to life. We first met them in Fargo, a movie we pull out and watch again from year to year – that’s a rare movie. We love the characters, even the bad guys are so human.
It’s the same in No Country for Old Men. Set in the desolation of West Texas, there are whole minutes when you listen to the wind whistling in the desert as the hero hikes down to a drug-exchange-gone-bad.
There is a good guy, a sherif played by craggy-faced Tommy Lee Jones, and an ordinary guy who finds a whole lot of money, and we really want him to get away with it, and then there is a really really bad guy, who is also smart, and . . . well, something inside of him is just bent. He’s not right. The Coen’s have a way of making him both appalling and just a guy doing his job very well. It’s not personal, but we wish he wouldn’t enjoy inflicting harm so much.
What I love about the Coen films is that they can capture the essence of a character so sparely, with just a few words, a few lines. There is a trailer park manager who refuses to give the very very bad guy an address. You hold your breath; she could get blown away, she doesn’t know it. She holds firm. In another scene, an older woman tells a Mexican man who has just helped her “You don’t see too many Mexicans in suits.” So so so politically incorrect, and so ordinarily normal, the plain-spokeness of the elderly. The Coen’s capture the West Texas-ness which permeates the film.
This movie is worth watching again.
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I’ve picked it up a couple of times at the DVD shop and then put it back again and again. I know it took all the hype at the Oscar’s this year. But something keeps stopping me from actually getting this movie :S
Last time I picked up and then opted for “Into The Wild” instead. It turned out to be a great movie itself. Maybe next time round I will force myself to buy it 😛
We liked it too, but also couldn’t exactly figure out the end. Have you seen Michael Clayton? It was also very good.
I’ve heard nothing but good things about this movie. It’s definitely on my list of things to do once I get my ‘economic stimulus’ check, and can afford enough gas to get to the movie rental place.
Hey! Now I have another good idea – “Into the Wild”. Thanks, Kinan.
Could NOT figure out the end, Momcat. There are some loose ends! I am hoping the book will clear some of them up.
Are you in West Texas, Lofter? I think you are going to like it, but it is a little dark.
I used to live in west Texas, and am very familiar with the scenery – or lack thereof. And dark is OK with me… I work in the prison system, so I’m used to it. 🙂
I bet you will like the movie. 🙂
Yes it’s good. And interesting blog here. Keep writing intlxpatr. Salam from Malaysia.
Thank you mossavi, and welcome to HT&E.
[…] Country For Old Men was a very violent movie, done by the Coen Brothers. I reviewed it HERE. When we finished watching the movie, I called our son and said “what happened? I’m not […]