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By PHILIP WUNTCH
Film Critic Emeritus
Most moviegoers cringe at the word "bleak." But when dealing with "No Country for Old Men" and "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," you can add "tantalizing," "compelling," "riveting" and even "brilliant" to the word mix. These movies are must-see's, and any moviegoer who avoids them doesn't deserve the honored label of "film fan." Each film's view of human nature is bleak, but the movies leave you with the rare satisfaction of a near-perfect viewing experience.
Faithfully adapted from Cormac McCarthy's moody, elegiac novel, "No Country" represents the sibling duo of Joel and Ethan Coen at peak prowess. It's not simply their best movie since "Fargo." It's simply their best movie. The brothers' trademarked wry humor is in evidence, albeit in smaller portions than in previous films and often lifted verbatim from McCarthy's prose.
Javier Bardem (pictured above) is an unforgettable scumbag, a man who enjoys killing and orchestrates his murders like a master chef. He makes Robert Mitchum in "The Night of the Hunter" seem like a Louisa May Alcott creation. This character would never have "love" and "hate" tattooed on his knuckles. He'd have "hate" tattooed on both of them. He is the trigger man behind an aborted drug heist, and he winds up playing a fatal feline-and-rodent game with Josh Brolin, as a mostly likable working bloke who comes across a fortune in drug money.
With "No Country for Old Men," "American Gangster" and "In the Valley of Elah," 2007 is the breakthrough year for "Goonies" alum Brolin. Never more will he be known primarily as Diane Lane's husband, Barbra Streisand's stepson and -- almost forgot! -- James Brolin's son. He delivers an intimately layered performance of an ordinary guy in horrifyingly extraordinarily situations.
As an honest sheriff, Tommy Lee Jones brings his gift of making maximum use of minimal expressions. The title reflects his weary, wizened presence, and his final speech will linger in your psyche. But every part is perfectly cast. In only a few scenes, the relationships between Jones and wife Tess Harper as well as Brolin and wife Kelly Macdonald are hauntingly realized. Beware, though. You may want to strangle Beth Grant as Brolin's mother-in-law, who does not believe in suffering silently.
"No Country for Old Men" is a magical movie, and so is "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead." The title comes from an Irish proverb, "May you enjoy a half-hour of heaven before the devil knows you're dead," and most of the lead characters would have the devil's approval.
Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke play restless brothers who plot the robbery of their parents' jewelry store. Each brother has his own, less-than-honorable reasons for wanting money. The dominant Hoffman considers it a victim-less heist. After all, he easily reasons, insurance will cover his parents' losses. So what could go wrong?
The viewer knows that everything probably will go wrong, but it's fascinating to see exactly how things head south. Both Hoffman and Hawke are stunning. Hoffman's character is as far from Truman Capote as the actor could go, and his emotional odyssey is remarkable. Hawke, as the younger, frightened brother unravels with memorably tragic conviction. Albert Finney, as the grieving father, summons the rage of a Biblical patriarch.
"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a moviegoer's dream. It's directed, superbly, by 83-year-old Sidney Lumet, the cinema magician behind "Dog Day Afternoon," "Serpico," "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Network." Who says an octogenarian can't make movies that young audiences will cherish?
THIS AND THAT: How do you sports fans feel about Jake Gyllenhaal signing up to play Joe Namath in an upcoming biopic? There are some facial similarities, but Gyllenhaal's forte has been playing introverted types, not macho sports figures ... The first website photos of Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones 4" have hit the net, and Hollywood Elsewhere website's Jeffrey Wells says it best, ungallantly stating that Ford looks more like Uncle Festus than the once-spry Indy.
Film Critic Emeritus
Most moviegoers cringe at the word "bleak." But when dealing with "No Country for Old Men" and "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," you can add "tantalizing," "compelling," "riveting" and even "brilliant" to the word mix. These movies are must-see's, and any moviegoer who avoids them doesn't deserve the honored label of "film fan." Each film's view of human nature is bleak, but the movies leave you with the rare satisfaction of a near-perfect viewing experience.
Faithfully adapted from Cormac McCarthy's moody, elegiac novel, "No Country" represents the sibling duo of Joel and Ethan Coen at peak prowess. It's not simply their best movie since "Fargo." It's simply their best movie. The brothers' trademarked wry humor is in evidence, albeit in smaller portions than in previous films and often lifted verbatim from McCarthy's prose.
Javier Bardem (pictured above) is an unforgettable scumbag, a man who enjoys killing and orchestrates his murders like a master chef. He makes Robert Mitchum in "The Night of the Hunter" seem like a Louisa May Alcott creation. This character would never have "love" and "hate" tattooed on his knuckles. He'd have "hate" tattooed on both of them. He is the trigger man behind an aborted drug heist, and he winds up playing a fatal feline-and-rodent game with Josh Brolin, as a mostly likable working bloke who comes across a fortune in drug money.
With "No Country for Old Men," "American Gangster" and "In the Valley of Elah," 2007 is the breakthrough year for "Goonies" alum Brolin. Never more will he be known primarily as Diane Lane's husband, Barbra Streisand's stepson and -- almost forgot! -- James Brolin's son. He delivers an intimately layered performance of an ordinary guy in horrifyingly extraordinarily situations.
As an honest sheriff, Tommy Lee Jones brings his gift of making maximum use of minimal expressions. The title reflects his weary, wizened presence, and his final speech will linger in your psyche. But every part is perfectly cast. In only a few scenes, the relationships between Jones and wife Tess Harper as well as Brolin and wife Kelly Macdonald are hauntingly realized. Beware, though. You may want to strangle Beth Grant as Brolin's mother-in-law, who does not believe in suffering silently.
"No Country for Old Men" is a magical movie, and so is "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead." The title comes from an Irish proverb, "May you enjoy a half-hour of heaven before the devil knows you're dead," and most of the lead characters would have the devil's approval.
Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke play restless brothers who plot the robbery of their parents' jewelry store. Each brother has his own, less-than-honorable reasons for wanting money. The dominant Hoffman considers it a victim-less heist. After all, he easily reasons, insurance will cover his parents' losses. So what could go wrong?
The viewer knows that everything probably will go wrong, but it's fascinating to see exactly how things head south. Both Hoffman and Hawke are stunning. Hoffman's character is as far from Truman Capote as the actor could go, and his emotional odyssey is remarkable. Hawke, as the younger, frightened brother unravels with memorably tragic conviction. Albert Finney, as the grieving father, summons the rage of a Biblical patriarch.
"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a moviegoer's dream. It's directed, superbly, by 83-year-old Sidney Lumet, the cinema magician behind "Dog Day Afternoon," "Serpico," "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Network." Who says an octogenarian can't make movies that young audiences will cherish?
THIS AND THAT: How do you sports fans feel about Jake Gyllenhaal signing up to play Joe Namath in an upcoming biopic? There are some facial similarities, but Gyllenhaal's forte has been playing introverted types, not macho sports figures ... The first website photos of Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones 4" have hit the net, and Hollywood Elsewhere website's Jeffrey Wells says it best, ungallantly stating that Ford looks more like Uncle Festus than the once-spry Indy.
3 comments:
Pete - Catherine Cuellar at Pegasus News here. Please give me a call at 214-764-9663x720.
Good to see Mr. Wuntch writing about movies again...He's a treasure. And go ahead and call Catherine. No need to call me, but do click on www.readlarrypowell.com and enjoy some dog and cat stories and read about opportunities to help.
larry
It's good to see Philip's byline again. I don't know of anyone who loves movies and the craft of film more, for their own sake, than the redoubtable Mr. Wuntch. Nice pickup, Pete.
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