No Country for Old Men (Quick Review)

Laurie and I only get an opportunity to go out the movies once or twice a year, so we are very selective about what we see. Last night we saw No Country for Old Men (2007), the latest film by Coen brothers. I don’t have time for a full review, so I’ll just quote my favorite film critic, Roger Ebert: “No Country for Old Men is as good a film as the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, have ever made, and they made Fargo.” That is high praise, and I would have to agree. While the Coens have made some fine, fine movies since Fargo (1996), this is the follow-up I have been waiting for all these years — it is a stunningly spectacular movie.

The plot is subtle and complex, so I won’t summarize it here for fear of spoiling it. But plot is rarely the most important element with the Coens — they explore the broad themes of human nature (the dark side, primarily) and intimate reality of dialogue — the plot is just along for the ride. My favorite aspect of this movie is the pacing: It moves forward in a slow, deliberate march that pulls your mind into the universe of the film — lots of long, continuous shots, lots of silence, lots of subtle dialogue, and lots of long, drawn out tension.

So, if you’re like me and you only get to see one movie a year, this would be a good one. The only warning I would have is about the violence — after all, this movie was made by the same guys who forever changed how we look at wood chippers.