Friday, January 18, 2008

No Country For Old Men

A new Coen Brothers film seen at a quietly respectful cinema. What a joy. This is one of those movies I would, if offered, have stayed in my seat to see round again.

It makes you think it is going to be a black comedy or a noir but just when you reckon something might be funny you realise no-one else is laughing. It's noirer than noir yet encompassing bits of the idea of a western and road chase movie too. Fantastic dialogue, wonderful tension, amazing cinematography, unpredictable end. How good is that from a Hollywood movie?

Why do bad people do bad things? What is a conscience? How black is a character who will kill you on a toss of a coin? Your call. Yet he also accepts the need to remove a bullet from his own leg not by enduring pain but by stealing local anaesthetic.

Nastiness is random, says this movie, but you have some choice about how wholeheartedly you embrace it or how likely you are to attract it.

Roger Ebert's review is pretty much on the nail, as always, but don't take my, or his, word for it. See it yourself.

1 comment:

Mike Peatman said...

Very keen to see this film, ever since I saw a trailer for it.