No Country For Old Men (2007)

Has it really been so long since I've done this? Bah...

"No Country For Old Men" marks a true return to form for the writing/directing Coen brothers. "No Country..." is without question a finely polished, superbly directed bit of cinema, and probably their best work since 1996's "Fargo."

The story, based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, follows Josh Brolin in the role of Llewelyn Moss, a Texas welder that happens across a satchel containing a large amount of drug money. Moss's conscience soon turns the lucky find of a lifetime into a nightmarish chase through 1980 small-town Texas, forcibly pursued by Javier Bardem's soon to be iconic turn as Anton Chigurh; a psychopath grounded by a bizarre set of morals and driven by an unwavering will to get what he wants.

In an attempt to save some of the finer points of the film for actual viewing I will only hint that Moss's struggle carries a great weight that presents itself almost immediately, and Anton's methods and gear are so gruesome and original that one can't help but feel a slight chill even when the film implies their use, without showing it explicitly. That's not to say there aren't a fair share of explicit moments. The first eight minutes contain... well, I can't.

Suffice it to say that "No Country..." is one of the best made films of the year and a true classic that should be remembered for some time, as well as a sort of opus for the Coen brothers. Understated performances from Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, and Kelly Macdonald punctuate the story and make the world of "No Country..." feel even more real, and even more menacing. Nothing is solved in this movie. There are no hidden messages or agendas, save for the idea that evil is real and in the world. It begins and ends with a suddenness that leaves much to the viewer to deal with on their way out of the theater, and it works.

Grade = A