No Country for Old Men
15 November 2007, early morning
I watched No Country for Old Men last night with Mahi. The story is simple enough: a fellow finds some money at a drug-deal gone wrong, takes it, and is chased down by a lunatic trying to get it back. The local sheriff is always a step behind the pair. I can’t stress how good this film is. It has to be the best film the Coen brothers have done yet. Each actor does a great job, there isn’t any dead weight. The script is solid. It’s shot beautifully. What I found most interesting was the total lack of music: there is none till the ending credits — and even those don’t start right away. Tension in the film is built solely by the actors, the situations, and the way things are shot; it’s quite impressive. I really think people need to see this film.
Even better than The Big Lebowski?
by martha on November 15 2007, 12:07 pm #
Yeah. I mean, they are very different films, so you can’t really compare them, but this one is so well done.
by Ramanan on November 15 2007, 12:20 pm #
Yeah, it’s pretty mindblowing isn’t it? Not only does it have no music (well, I detected a hint of ambience at two different spots, but it was very subtle), but it also has very little dialogue… it’s one of the quietest yet tensest films made recently. Real Hitch style with all of the point of view. It’s no mean feat eliciting audience sympathy with Josh Brolin when he barely says anything.
by D on November 15 2007, 1:08 pm #
I thought I heard music at one spot: when Tommy Lee walks into the last motel crime scene. It was so faint though I wasn’t sure if I was hearing things. But yeah, it’s really slick what they’ve done. Josh Brolin was awesome. (As was the lady who played his wife.)
by Ramanan on November 15 2007, 3:12 pm #