No Country for Old Men is the Coen brothers’ mature Blood Simple. Very similar in style but with a better story and better acting, this movie haunts the audience in such a quiet way you are left feeling disturbed.
There has never been a simpler storyline; a man stumbles upon a deal gone bad and decides to take the money and run. A very, very bad man by the name of Chigurh (Javier Bardem) pursues him. The local sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) tries to intercede unsuccessfully.
This film is really about Sheriff Ed Tom Bell. There is no country left for men like him, and the story quietly helps us relate. In the end we wonder if there is any country left for us that can make sense of this kind of violence.
Academy Awards:
Wow. Okay, finally a film worthy of its nominations. Roger Deakins will definitely give Atonement a run for its money in cinematography. I think the Coen brothers should and will walk away with the Oscar for Best Director. The Sound Mixing and Editing for this movie is mind blowing. Never has silence been so powerful or moving or well placed. These people will be robbed if they don’t win these awards. I also think Bardem will win Best Supporting Actor. The only thing I’m holding out on here is Best Picture…which I won’t be unhappy if they win it, but I have to say I personally enjoyed Juno more.
So How Does It End?
This movie ends very abruptly, but it’s still weirdly satisfying. If you understand that the focus of the movie is on Sheriff Bell, then the conclusion is perfect. However my only problem with the movie is in the unsatisfying way that James Brolin’s character dies. He’s just suddenly dead. There’s no stand off. You’ve invested most of the movie in his survival and then suddenly he’s dead. I found that to be far more abrupt and unsatisfying and ultimately it made me feel like the final edit was rushed.
