This film has haunted me ever since I saw it last night.

Rating: 10/10 (8 December 2005)

I was fortunate to see it at an invitational preview in a full auditorium. Everyone I was with sat spellbound throughout its entire 134 minute running time. We did not find the film to be too long at all. It would be pretty hard to condense twenty years into a shorter 90 minute film. It could have been even longer than 134 minutes so far as I'm concerned.
The acting was perfection. Much has been said about Heath Ledger and his superb performance. I can't imagine anyone portraying Ennis with more subtlety or feeling. Jake Gyllenhaal has a flashier part which could have been a travesty in lesser hands, but Jake could not have been better as the soulful Jack. Both Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway are great as the wives who never achieve true love from these two conflicted men. All of the lesser parts are in good hands and Randy Quaid, in a small role, stands out as the gruff ranch boss.
Not to be overlooked is the gorgeous cinematography, the sweeping vistas of the plains and mountains and the beautiful music score. And, of course, Ang Lee's masterful direction.
Finally (a possible spoiler), the sad finale, where Ennis visits Jack's parents, contains the most poignant and achingly romantic scene I've witnessed on screen in a longtime. It's when Ennis finds their old shirts in Jack's boyhood bedroom closet and hugs them through his tears. I think that scene has haunted me today more than any other part of that magnificent film.
Without hesitation, I give it a 10/10.