The power of silence

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2007)

I don't know much about westerns, but I do know about emotion. I also don't know if it's because of James Mangold's gift to generate it or because its impeccable and flawless cast, but "3:10 to Yuma" has emotion to spare. Not every day silence touches deep inside in a world surrounded by gunshots and blood.
The movie tells the story of outlaw Ben Wade (Russel Crowe) and his gang; and the story of Dan Evans (Christian Bale), the man who took him to the train that would send him to prison. Two men so different but somehow very much alike, two men full of secrets but also filled with honesty; one walking all by himself, another one with a family to support.
Why did Mangold shoot this remake? I rather not ask him, and I haven't seen the original but I can understand. I can understand and appreciate the delicate work the director has taken under his hands; the calculation of beautiful close ups and long shots; the management of a perfect production design (Andrew Menzies); the quiet observation and the precise control of his actors.
Talk about acting duos. If "The Machinist" wasn't proof enough, Christian Bale's character study and commitment can be seen in several facets here: in the way he talks to his wife (Gretchen Mol), with care but with the silent suffering that what he has is not enough for her; how he talks to his son (better every day, Logan Lerman), with pride because he's almost a man but with preoccupation because he's still his kid.
These are sad characters involved in desperate situations. Situations that lead to well-based confrontations that are well structured and that serve the storyNo gun here is shot without a purpose, write it down; and it fills me with joy. The other big star? Russell Crowe, whose look says everything. The most intense look I've witnessed since Leonardo DiCaprio's in "The Departed".
It's a good screenplay, this one by Halsted Welles, Michael Brandt and Derek Hass, but it hasn't got many words. It takes an actor of complete mastery to transmit a thousand feelings through the look of an eye. Yes, it has been done millions of time and it's not so difficult; but this is a whole different context. It's a Western; Crowe plays an outlaw who is not allowed to show feelings and succeeds in staying that way. What he feels, you can see it in his look; if you sense it, you'll understand his great performance.
Only a few times the main characters give long speeches; they are not so long and they explain who they are and the reason of their personalities. You have to pay attention, because you may get lost in the tension of the action. However, I think Mangold is very clever in managing the moments, supported by Marco Beltrami's best score yet, and with a performance by Ben Foster that shows he's between the best actors of his generation.
There are things we say many times and they start to loose their true meanings, I want this to be true: "Silence hurts; silence speaks". Do an exercise and try to figure out what each character says to another when they look at him in silenceYou'll find plenty of those moments.