Not Just a Gay Cowboy Movie

Rating: 8/10 (6 January 2006)

Ennis and Jack are two cowboys at the same paths of their lives. Both around the same age, come from crappy lifestyles, and not much to look forward to. They take a job working as sheepherders for a season and when the elements and boredom throw each other together, the two of them begin a homosexual relationship. What starts out as a lark turns into something more. For Jack, it's something that he probably has felt for a long time. For Ennis, it's a person showing him some love and companionship that he doesn't get enough from from his girl back home, who he in fact eventually marries. The two of them, after continuing their lives, begin a sordid affair of seasonal trips to the mountains where they had their first experience together. This goes on for years. The film takes place in 1963 Wyoming, where homosexual behavior isn't exactly encouraged. They keep it a secret and live their lives as if nothing happened, but they both know the one thing that keeps them going is their trips to Brokeback.
The performances by Ennis (Heath Ledger)and Jack (Jake Gyllenhall) are terrific. Ledger is Australian, and you'd think he was born to play a cowboy. He seems to say more with his eyes than his voice as he tries very hard to hids his accent which he does a very good job doing. He's a very versatile actor.
The movie tells a very poignant story. It's very slow moving, but I think it needed to move at a certain pace to tell their story right. Some of the scenes are a little rough and will make some feel uncomfortable. This isn't a movie you come out of the theater smiling and thinking how much you enjoyed it, but it is a very thought provoking film and extremely well acted and well written.
As many refer to this film as the gay cowboy movie, I'd hope that people would give it a chance. It's really more than that and I believe tells a very poignant story. (***1/2)