Wow! Nice

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2006)

While the performances are uniformly fantastic, nothing can quite prepare the mind for the work that Heath Ledger provides. As an actor prone to overcompensating, Ledger's Ennis is a man of decidedly few words, yet is a thunderstorm of heartache on the inside. This is quite literally a full-bodied performance, using all of Ledger as Ennis thrashes about watching his life fall apart due to his self-loathing, distance, and towering regret. Unable to give himself over to his feelings, Ennis's heart withers and dies, only witnessing moments of happiness with Jack, which allows him to be the man he wants to be without fear of judgment. Saying Ledger is Oscar-worthy here isn't strong enough: this is a career-best performance, and a crucial element to the necessary feeling of frustration that powers the film