No Country for Old Men

[Ravenbomb 0]

Saw the trailer before Superbad, and it looks fucking awesome. Brolin's usually good, as is Tommy Lee Jones, and the guy with the bolt gun looks like a badass villain. I'll definately go see this one.

[vivalaultra 0]

The movie's based on the book by Pulitzer Prize winning author Cormac McCarthy. The book is extremely awesome, as is the guy with the bolt gun. His name is Chigurh and he's the epitome of evil, seriously. The book is great because McCarthy is a masterful writer, but, from what I've seen of the trailers and in the script, the dialogue and mood of the film is very similar to the book, and, thus, it will be really, really good.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I'm stoked for this movie, though the book wasn't one of McCarthy's better ones.

[Gary Floyd 0]

Also saw the trailer before SuperBad, and it looks awesome. The audience ate it up.

[Ravenbomb 0]

Every time I see the trailer, I get more and more stoked for the movie. November can't come soon enough.

[AmericanDragon 0]

Limited release today. The redband trailer is also up on the official site.

[NoCalMike 0]

Without having read any actual reviews yet, it seems that the lowest grade I have seen it given is a B+

 

http://www.mrqe.com/lookup?no+country+for+old+men

 

When does the film go wide?

 

I can't wait.

[Ravenbomb 0]

From what I can tell, it goes wide November 21st

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Not sure what else I'm going to see this year that'll top this but man, it'll have to be one hell of a film to do so.

 

In a just world both Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin will end up in the Best Actor category at every single awards show that matters (though some will argue that none do). Sadly, I see Tommy Lee Jones getting a nomination over those two simply because it might just be too hard to choose, much like what happened last year with Mark Whalberg and The Departed. Not that TLJ was bad, he was very much not just that the other two men controlled the screen from start to finish with some of the best acting to come along in quite some time. Scottish actress Kelly MacDonald did a great job with the small role she was given as well.

 

And yes, Bardem's role as Anton Chigurgh is going to go down as one of the more memorable ones of this decade up to this point. There's an intensity and energy about him that defies you to try and look away when he's speaking or even doing something as simple as smiling or looking around a room.

 

Anton racks up one of the larger body counts for a single character in a while, methinks. I didn't actually count but I'd put it at somewhere around at least fifteen, bordering on twenty. And for those who've seen the movie I'm curious to see if you think Anton killed Carla Jean at the end? He's been built up as a man who keeps hisword and he made a promise to Lewellyn that if he didn't stop that his wife would be "accountable" so it's very possible that she did get it.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Anton racks up one of the larger body counts for a single character in a while, methinks. I didn't actually count but I'd put it at somewhere around at least fifteen, bordering on twenty. And for those who've seen the movie I'm curious to see if you think Anton killed Carla Jean at the end? He's been built up as a man who keeps hisword and he made a promise to Lewellyn that if he didn't stop that his wife would be "accountable" so it's very possible that she did get it.

I don't know how it's presented in the movie—I've yet to see it—but the book leaves no doubt about Carla Jean's fate; she was murdered.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Oh, I hope the film version of Blood Meridian that Ridley Scott is set to direct stays in development hell. The book is great, but I can't imagine a good movie being made out of it. Especially by Ridley Scott.

[vivalaultra 0]

Oh, I hope the film version of Blood Meridian that Ridley Scott is set to direct stays in development hell. The book is great, but I can't imagine a good movie being made out of it. Especially by Ridley Scott.

 

I echo those sentiments. When reading No Country for Old Men, I figured that a movie version would come along eventually and that it would probably be very good, dependent on who was involved. The persons involved in the movie (and the trailer/clips that I've seen) have me looking very much forward to seeing it. However, when reading Blood Meridian, I figured it would probably be made into a movie eventually and the movie would suck; there's just too much going on in the book and too much historical depth to translate it faithfully, and, if it could be done, I don't think Ridley Scott's the guy to do it. Oh well, now that McCarthy's won the Pulitzer, I imagine that his catalog will be mined fully by Hollywood. Anyway, here's the Roger Ebert review of NCFOM. Although Ebert's gotten liberal in the last few years throwing out the stars, this review has me excited for the movie, and I never knew he was such a big McCarthy fan.

 

No Country for Old Men

 

 

/ / / November 8, 2007

 

Cast & CreditsSheriff Bell: Tommy Lee Jones

Llewelyn Moss: Josh Brolin

Anton Chigurh: Javier Bardem

Carson Wells: Woody Harrelson

Carla Jean Moss: Kelly Macdonald

Loretta Bell: Tess Harper

Man: Stephen Root

 

Miramax Films presents a film written and directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. Running time: 123 minutes. Rated R (for strong graphic violence and language). Opening today at Landmark Century, AMC River East and Century Evanston.

By Roger Ebert

 

The movie opens with the flat, confiding voice of Tommy Lee Jones. He describes a teenage killer he once sent to the chair. The boy had killed his 14-year-old girlfriend. The papers described it as a crime of passion, "but he tolt me there weren't nothin' passionate about it. Said he'd been fixin' to kill someone for as long as he could remember. Said if I let him out of there, he'd kill somebody again. Said he was goin' to hell. Reckoned he'd be there in about 15 minutes."

 

These words sounded verbatim to me from No Country for Old Men, the novel by Cormac McCarthy, but I find they are not quite. And their impact has been improved upon in the delivery. When I get the DVD of this film, I will listen to that stretch of narration several times; Jones delivers it with a vocal precision and contained emotion that is extraordinary, and it sets up the entire film, which regards a completely evil man with wonderment, as if astonished that that such a merciless creature could exist.

 

The man is named Anton Chigurh. No, I don't know how his last name is pronounced. Like many of the words McCarthy uses, particularly in his masterpiece Suttree, I think it is employed like an architectural detail: The point is not how it sounds or what it means, but the brushstroke it adds to the sentence. Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is a tall, slouching man with lank, black hair and a terrifying smile, who travels through Texas carrying a tank of compressed air and killing people with a cattle stungun. It propels a cylinder into their heads and whips it back again.

 

Chigurh is one strand in the twisted plot. Ed Tom Bell, the sheriff played by Jones, is another. The third major player is Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a poor man who lives with his wife in a house trailer, and one day, while hunting, comes across a drug deal gone wrong in the desert. Vehicles range in a circle like an old wagon train. Everyone on the scene is dead. They even shot the dog. In the back of one pickup are neatly stacked bags of drugs. Llewelyn realizes one thing is missing: the money. He finds it in a briefcase next to a man who made it as far as a shade tree before dying.

 

The plot will involve Moss attempting to make this $2 million his own, Chigurh trying to take it away from him and Sheriff Bell trying to interrupt Chigurh's ruthless murder trail. We will also meet Moss' childlike wife, Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald); a cocky bounty hunter named Carson Wells (Woody Harrelson); the businessman (Stephen Root) who hires Carson to track the money after investing in the drug deal, and a series of hotel and store clerks who are unlucky enough to meet Chigurh.

 

"No Country for Old Men" is as good a film as the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, have ever made, and they made "Fargo." It involves elements of the thriller and the chase but is essentially a character study, an examination of how its people meet and deal with a man so bad, cruel and unfeeling that there is simply no comprehending him. Chigurh is so evil, he is almost funny sometimes. "He has his principles," says the bounty hunter, who has knowledge of him.

 

Consider another scene in which the dialogue is as good as any you will hear this year. Chigurh enters a rundown gas station in the middle of wilderness and begins to play a word game with the old man (Gene Jones) behind the cash register, who becomes very nervous. It is clear they are talking about whether Chigurh will kill him. Chigurh has by no means made up his mind. Without explaining why, he asks the man to call the flip of a coin. Listen to what they say, how they say it, how they imply the stakes. Listen to their timing. You want to applaud the writing, which comes from the Coen brothers, out of McCarthy.

 

The $2 million turns out to be easier to obtain than to keep. Moss tries hiding in obscure hotels. Scenes are meticulously constructed in which each man knows the other is nearby. Moss can run but he can't hide. Chigurh always tracks him down. There seems to be a hole in the plot around here somewhere. Skip the next paragraph to avoid a spoiler.

 

Yes, the money briefcase has a transponder in it, but why does Chigurh have the corresponding tracker? If the men in the drug deal all killed one another, and the man who unknowingly carried the transponder died under the tree, how did Chigurh come into the picture? I think it's because he set up the deal, planned to buy the drugs with the "invested" $2 million, end up with the drugs and get the money back. That the actual dealers all killed one another in the desert and the money ended in the hands of a stranger was not his plan. That theory makes sense, or it would, if Chigurh were not so peculiar; it is hard to imagine him negotiating such a deal. "Do you have any idea," Carson Wells asks him, "how crazy you really are?"

 

Read safely again. This movie is a masterful evocation of time, place, character, moral choices, immoral certainties, human nature and fate. It is also, in the photography by Roger Deakins, the editing by the Coens and the music by Carter Burwell, startlingly beautiful, stark and lonely. As McCarthy does with the Judge, the hairless exterminator in his "Blood Meridian" (Ridley Scott's next film), and as in his "Suttree," especially in the scene where the riverbank caves in, the movie demonstrates how pitiful ordinary human feelings are in the face of implacable injustice. The movie also loves some of its characters, and pities them, and has an ear for dialog not as it is spoken but as it is dreamed.

 

Many of the scenes in "No Country for Old Men" are so flawlessly constructed that you want them to simply continue, and yet they create an emotional suction drawing you to the next scene. Another movie that made me feel that way was "Fargo." To make one such film is a miracle. Here is another.

 

[dubq 0]

Anton racks up one of the larger body counts for a single character in a while, methinks. I didn't actually count but I'd put it at somewhere around at least fifteen, bordering on twenty. And for those who've seen the movie I'm curious to see if you think Anton killed Carla Jean at the end? He's been built up as a man who keeps hisword and he made a promise to Lewellyn that if he didn't stop that his wife would be "accountable" so it's very possible that she did get it.

I don't know how it's presented in the movie—I've yet to see it—but the book leaves no doubt about Carla Jean's fate; she was murdered.

 

I got that impression from the movie.

When Anton leaves the house he checks his boots for blood.

 

PS - I fucking loved this movie.

[Gary Floyd 0]

I saw it last night. Best movie of the year so far IMO.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Yeah, this was pretty much the best movie I've seen in quite a while.

[vivalaultra 0]

Fourthed! Best movie of like...forever. My girlfriend and I went to go see it on Friday; as we were walking out to the car to go to the theatre, we found that her car had been stolen. We called the police, put in a report, got in my car and caught the 8:15 show. Not even auto theft could put a damper on the awesomeness of the movie.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Very appropriate crime, all things considered.

[Ravenbomb 0]

It's settled. November 27th, I'm seeing this and American Gangster with my free movie passes. I'm stoked so hard for this one.

[King Kamala 0]

It's settled. November 27th, I'm seeing this and American Gangster with my free movie passes. I'm stoked so hard for this one.

 

Incidentally, I'm also seeing those two movies this week. Gangster this Tuesday and No Country For Old Men on Wednesday (opening day here in Portland, ME). Also if all goes well, I'll see The King of Kong at the local art house cinema on Friday or Saturday. Between these three movies and the two Thanksgivings I'm having, this is going to be a hell of a week.

[MDH257 0]

Very Good, not sure how I feel about the ending. The next time I see it, it'll probably play different since I'll know what's coming.

 

I don't see how anyone can doubt that Anton

killed Carla Jean at the end.

 

This thread has reminded me how much I truly hate the word stoked.

[Ravenbomb 0]

You hate the word "stoked"? Why would you hate a harmless word like stoked? Stoked never did anything to you. Hurry up and post, I'm way stoked to hear your response.

[MDH257 0]

People use it when they mean "excited", but for some reason I've always thought it sounded disgusting in that context. Being stoked sounds like something you would need to take a shower for afterwards.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Very Good, not sure how I feel about the ending. The next time I see it, it'll probably play different since I'll know what's coming.

 

I don't see how anyone can doubt that Anton

killed Carla Jean at the end.

I liked the ending fine. What more did you want? Moss and Carla Jean were dead. Chigurh likely did not have too much left in him after the car accident. Bell retired. Life goes on.

 

Also, yeah, re: Carla Jean, it wasn't that hard to figure out that Chigurh killed her. He checked his boots.

 

I loved this movie. Will probably see it again before the weekend's out.

[dubq 0]

Saw it for a second time. Now maybe someone who's read the book may be able to answer this.. but I noticed that

throught the entire movie, Anton doesn't have the scars/cuts on his wrists from choking out the cop with handcuffs in the beginning. Does this mean that the beginning is actually AFTER everything?

 

The impression I got was that after his dream, the Sheriff wasn't going to retire after and instead go after Anton. Then I thought maybe that cop in the beginning was actually talking to him on the phone just before Anton chokes him.

 

Or I could be way off.

 

Anyone?

[King Kamala 0]

Damn fine movie. I don't know if I'd go with best of the year (I think Zodiac still might have that for me) but it's definitely up there.

 

 

I don't see why some people are upset about the ending. I mean I guess I can but said reasons would be pretty stupid.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Saw it for a second time. Now maybe someone who's read the book may be able to answer this.. but I noticed that

throught the entire movie, Anton doesn't have the scars/cuts on his wrists from choking out the cop with handcuffs in the beginning. Does this mean that the beginning is actually AFTER everything?

 

The impression I got was that after his dream, the Sheriff wasn't going to retire after and instead go after Anton. Then I thought maybe that cop in the beginning was actually talking to him on the phone just before Anton chokes him.

 

Or I could be way off.

 

Anyone?

I don't recall seeing his wrists much following the opening scene, but no, your proposal throws in a Lynchian loop that was neither present nor intended in either the book or the movie.

[dubq 0]

Saw it for a second time. Now maybe someone who's read the book may be able to answer this.. but I noticed that

throught the entire movie, Anton doesn't have the scars/cuts on his wrists from choking out the cop with handcuffs in the beginning. Does this mean that the beginning is actually AFTER everything?

 

The impression I got was that after his dream, the Sheriff wasn't going to retire after and instead go after Anton. Then I thought maybe that cop in the beginning was actually talking to him on the phone just before Anton chokes him.

 

Or I could be way off.

 

Anyone?

I don't recall seeing his wrists much following the opening scene, but no, your proposal throws in a Lynchian loop that was neither present nor intended in either the book or the movie.

 

The main place I noticed the lack of scars was when he was cleaning his leg wound in the hotel after the shootout with Moss.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Saw it for a second time. Now maybe someone who's read the book may be able to answer this.. but I noticed that

throught the entire movie, Anton doesn't have the scars/cuts on his wrists from choking out the cop with handcuffs in the beginning. Does this mean that the beginning is actually AFTER everything?

 

The impression I got was that after his dream, the Sheriff wasn't going to retire after and instead go after Anton. Then I thought maybe that cop in the beginning was actually talking to him on the phone just before Anton chokes him.

 

Or I could be way off.

 

Anyone?

I don't recall seeing his wrists much following the opening scene, but no, your proposal throws in a Lynchian loop that was neither present nor intended in either the book or the movie.

 

The main place I noticed the lack of scars was when he was cleaning his leg wound in the hotel after the shootout with Moss.

I didn't notice, though I'll keep a look out when I see it again. I do recall that he wore long sleeves for the bulk of the movie, so his wrists were covered. I feel you're reading too much into it, though.

[Just John 0]

Saw it for a second time. Now maybe someone who's read the book may be able to answer this.. but I noticed that

throught the entire movie, Anton doesn't have the scars/cuts on his wrists from choking out the cop with handcuffs in the beginning. Does this mean that the beginning is actually AFTER everything?

 

The impression I got was that after his dream, the Sheriff wasn't going to retire after and instead go after Anton. Then I thought maybe that cop in the beginning was actually talking to him on the phone just before Anton chokes him.

 

Or I could be way off.

 

Anyone?

 

No. somewhere in the movie, Tommy Lee Jones discusses the incident. I think it's when he first goes to check out the bloodbath in the desert. He's talking to his partner about how the guy killed a cop, took his car, then killed another motorist and took his car.

 

Really good movie.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Loved it. It's in my top 3 for sure.