Review - No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men
dir(s). Joel and Ethan Coen
2007

Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy No Country for Old Men is a beautifully shot and directed thriller from the Coen brothers. The film calls back to the great landscapes and quiet moments of the Western genre and also adds a touch of noir to the proceedings. What becomes obvious early into the film and is driven home in the third act is that this is not a film that can be trusted to act as it is expected. These are not the heroes and villains of yore and they do not conform easily to the preconceptions of the audience. Some may be turned off from the world displayed by the film, but those who endure are treated to a film with great performances, beautiful camera work, and a multitude of themes.

The narrative is driven by a case of 2 million dollars found by Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) after a drug deal gone bad in the emptiness of west Texas. Moss decides to keep the money, but is hunted by hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) and the Mexican drug dealers who want their payment. While it may seem at first that Moss is our viewpoint for the film it becomes apparent that Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) is truly our key to the film. Jones' sheriff stands on the periphery of the action in the film, but his struggle with the violence that takes place and his final decision are truly the thrust of the film. Bardem's performance as the hitman Chigurh is powerful and iconic. Chigurh is at times simply a psychopathic hitman and at other times more of a supernatural force of nature. Brolin also turns in a great performance as do Woody Harrelson and Kelly Macdonald in smaller but important roles.

Comparisons to Fargo (1996) are inevitable, and while the films can be seen as opposites in many ways they both are expertly crafted by the Coens. The ending of No Country for Old Men, faithfully adapted though the chronology of the scenes has been changed, has become controversial and it is one that will leave many annoyed, but that does not make the ending any less powerful for those that escape their expectations.

Verdict: 5 stars out of 5.