Good but dated morality

Rating: 8/10 (29 December 2005)

There is a lot of talk about the film-critics talking about this movie. But I think the real word on the street is that it's just kinda okay and sorta long-and-drawn out. I just checked the movie out and it is a very well crafted film. It has a simple plot and is totally character oriented which I like a lot. The scenery is amazing and the beginning has a stillness that feels straight out of that great Peter Bogdanovich flick "The Last Picture Show". To be honest I didn't mind Brokeback's slow pace but I did have difficulty feeling this great love that everyone is talking about. I like Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall as actors but I really got zero chemistry between these two characters on screen. Their first meeting at work felt awkward and their first physical encounter was almost unbelievable. Everything happened too abruptly. If this is Heath's first time with a dude he wouldn't be slamming the guy's butt right out of the gate. And I don't think the other dude would be giving it up so fast either. There would be more exploration and awkwardness. But I realize they have to move the story so I just went with it. There were some other problems (their first reunion on the steps at his wife's home..who would be that bold?)but overall I thought the film was very involving It just bummed me out that the ending has the same stupid morality that our retrograde society has been preaching for years. Love a man and you will end up savagely murdered or horribly alone in a shitty old dust bowl trailer. There are other indie flicks that are way more advanced in their themes and I'm not sure why they're not getting as much praise and attention.