A powerful film -- see it for what it is, and try to ignore the controversy

Rating: 9/10 (13 April 2006)

Those who have protested Brokeback Mountain have likely seen few movies in their lifetime. There's nothing all that daring or new here  two famous young stars playing gay lovers? Wow, that's a first. Unless you are aware of a film called "My Own Private Idaho" released a decade and a half ago. You could even be daring enough to claim the first gay cowboy movie was Midnight Cowboy. And let's face it  sexual taboo has been a regular theme in many European films for years.
The only difference here is that Brokeback has hit the mainstream and it's been in the Oscar competition, which means more people are likely to be made aware of it  and attack it. The bottom line is: it's not really deserving of the hype about it being a "gay movie." It is, however, far more deserving of its critical hype  the praise critics have bestowed upon it for being a good movie. Because it is a good movie. It's a very good movie.
Ang Lee is a fine director (if overly ambitious at times  his Hulk was a failure because it tried too hard, the opposite of most comic-book movies)  this is his swan song. At times it is subtle and quiet and at others deeply moving, featuring a graceful dramatic arc that makes a wide sweep across many years in the lives of two men who "ain't queer" but are inexplicably drawn to each other as time progresses.
The interesting aspect dealt with here  and what makes it better than the gay-exploitation romantic-drama it could have easily been  is that Lee's film studies the impact a forbidden relationship has on two men over a span of time. Both men (played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in the best performances of their careers) become married and have children  but they also both return to Brokeback Mountain, the place that sparked their secret relationship.
There are moments that go on too long or are too slow. There are also a few scenes that cry out, "Independent!" (It's got that new Focus Features edge that "The Station Agent" and "Eternal Sunshine" both also had.) However, for the most part it's a masterfully shot motion picture that deals less with homosexuality and more with the concept of love in general. I don't think the movie's intent is, as some people boycotting Wal-Mart for selling the film have claimed, "to spread homosexuality." Anyone who becomes gay after seeing a movie about gay cowboys probably wasn't very straight to begin with.
If you see this film, see it for what it is  don't focus too much on the controversy, because it's just publicity at this point. But underneath the controversy-hype there's a really strong, powerful film  yup, far superior to "Crash" (which insulted my intelligence)  waiting to break free.
A lot of people will feel uneasy watching it (voting statistics on IMDb reveal that the male demographics are responsible for much lower votes than women). Then again, a lot of people will just refuse to even give it that much of a chance and will bash it without even seeing it. That's a shame.