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Brokeback Mountain |
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By : Suzanne Philips |
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BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN Directed by Ang Lee (HULK) Starring Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead), Heath Ledger (Casanova), Michelle Williams (Dawson's Creek), Anne Hathaway (Princess Diaries) and Randy Quaid (Ice Harvest) Screenplay by Larry McMurtry Running time 2hrs 14 min BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, based on a short story by E. Annie Proulx, tells the story of 2 cowboys in 1960's Wyoming who fall in love and have to deal for decades with their bisexuality in the rigid society of the times. Heath Ledger plays Ennis, a little-educated rancher with a lot of baggage from growing up with no parents and very little money. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jack, a rodeo rider who is trying to make his own way in the world instead of working for his father. The two meet while working on a sheep drive and eventually succumb to their feelings for each other. The story of this film is really wonderful and sweet. These two characters try to deny their love for each other and then try to embrace it, having to deal with the consequences of both. The love that the Ennis and Jack share is very pure and they understand each other better than anyone else in their lives. There are some great moments of just "being" with the person that you love that come through and Ledger and Gyllenhaal have a great chemistry and depth that make this story work. While the love scenes were a bit more than I had expected (everyone leading up to the release were just talking about "the big kissing scene" and there is really much more than that) it was really tastefully done and felt realistic. My problem with the film was that it really did feel like a short story made to fit an over 2 hour film. There are lots of times where there is really nothing going on but slow panning shots of....well....nothing. The actors do a nice job with emoting through the silence but there are shots that just feel like they do not do anything to move the story or the feeling of the piece along. I was not terribly impressed with Heath Ledger in this film. Don't get me wrong, I like Heath. He is a very nice guy and I have enjoyed some of his work and flinched at some of his other work, he is just not consistent yet and I don't think he has hit his stride. He has been getting so much hype about his performance in BROKEBACK and I quite frankly just don't see it. He was basically doing a mediocre Tommy Lee Jones/Billy Bob Thornton from Slingblade impression. And he only has two speeds, completely still with no emotion, or screaming and yelling and kicking things. Jake Gyllenhaal, on the other hand was outstanding. He was very good at conveying emotion with just a small glance or tilt to his head and when he does blow up at something you really feel the pain involved. I am surprised more people are not talking about his performance as an Oscar potential. Michelle Williams is really good as Ennis' wife Alma. She has really broken out of the Teen TV Drama syndrome and has grown into really adult roles. (and she gets to have a baby with Heath so you know her life ain't going too bad!!!) Anne Hathaway is ok as Jack's wife Lureen, a rodeo rider with a rich daddy and too much free time. Her hair however is atrocious! Whoever did the wigs for her character either didn't much like her or they need to be fired. It was simply awful in most every scene. The story was moving and the acting was good and I think it is worth seeing but I don't see this film as deserving of all the hype it has gotten. 3 out of 5 |