Gonna Build A MOUNTAIN...

Rating: 8/10 (9 January 2006)

...from a little hill. From a short story at the back of a collection of Wyoming tales by Annie Proulx comes this incredible film. Short stories seem to serve well as the basis for screenplays, leaving lots of 'space' for visuals. Here, the landscape of Wyoming is the backdrop for one of the most moving and unique romances since Romeo wooed Juliet. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal are the central figures. Gyllenhaal is a master of charm - with a glint in his eye and a winning smirk. Ledger broods and mumbles in a performance that is reminiscent of (but never competes with) the memory of a young Marlon Brando. Despite the film's male-centric plotting, the female cast members are just as riveting. Anne Hathaway's final scene is played to perfection and Michelle Williams is the emotional core of the story. Both women are every bit as watchable and talented as their male co-stars. From a modest beginning, director Ang Lee has crafted a memorable and emotional journey. This is a mountain of a film.