A story based around truths

Rating: 10/10 (26 December 2005)

I have seen the movie twice now, a highly unusual action for me. It was just as powerful as it was the first time and left with something, a certain loss at the end of each screening.
Having previously read the short story, and hearing all the rumors and buff about the movie beforehand I wasn't sure what to expect. The story itself moves so much and relies on details not always easy to translate into a visual media. It was far more.
There are many things that can be questioned; small details or changes to the original script, things left unsaid or unanswered, and differences in interpretation. And though even at the end, there are some things that may trouble you, the story, the telling is amazingly done to transcend past these petty small things. Because in the movie, much like in life, there are often things that are just not known and yet things still continue to progress.
I took a lot from this movie, even more so after talking to a former ranch person who spoke the truth of it, even continuing to this day. There is a sumptuous attention to the backdrops and color uses, adding to the mood and atmosphere. The acting is superb, especially in small things like gestures or body movements. The cast as a whole is strong, but though many say Heath owned the movie in his brilliant stoicism, Jake was his equal match in unbridled hope.