'Jack, I swear'

Rating: 10/10 (28 June 2014)

One may think of John Wayne or Gary Cooper when it comes to cowboy figures in cinematic history, yet none quite like what we see in Brokeback Mountain. Directed by Ang Lee, the movie subverts what is usually associated with this type of character especially in the western genre. Brokeback Mountain is still a journey of the characters, but a different kind.
Adapted from the short story by Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain tells a story of Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) who get hired to herd the sheep at Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming during the summer of 1963. Their personalities are polar opposites: Ennis rather keeps to himself whereas Jack is talkative. It was the latter who breaks the barrier between them. They slowly forms an unlikely bond that develops into something else that their society is not ready for. From then on, the dramatic tension of the story becomes stronger. The tone gloomier. After their departure, Ennis and Jack won't meet again until four years later, which by that time, both have already tied the knot to Alma (Michelle Williams) and Lureen (Anne Hathaway) respectively. Brokeback Mountain becomes significant as it remains the only place for their tryst, and the only place that remains untouched by their 'reality'.
Ang Lee approached the subject matter and the characters with sensitivity and subtlety. The movie spent sufficient time in setting up the tension of their emotional bond just enough for us to care about them. Lee does not rush in exploring the very well-constructed leading characters. It still haunts me how the scene of the dead sheep in which Ennis encounters after a night of his absence almost symbolically signals the tragedy that may arrive as a consequence of their secretive relationship (the scene is right after the night of their first sexual intercourse when they could not keep their feeling inside anymore). As the film unfolds later, we learn that the sheep may very well remind Ennis of what haunted him as a child.
I appreciated that Lee conveyed this love story in a raw and real manner. The score by Gustavo Santaolalla complemented to the film beautifully. The cinematographer was also stunning. In what seems like a banal and dull place, so much depth and dimension were added to the images. There are many shots with well-composed deep focus.
The performances from the two leads were also top-notch. Heath Ledger gave a heartbreaking performance as Ennis. His portrayal of a man who represses his inner feelings was subtle. The last scene with 'Jack, I swear' line was deeply moving and summed up why I love Ledger's performance. Jake Gyllenhaal also delivers a tremendous performance as Jack, hitting the right note especially when he displayed vulnerability. Michelle Williams was good as well.
It is a shame that the movie did not go home with the biggest prize from the Academy Awards (one of the biggest mistake the Academy has made). Nevertheless, the movie will age well for years to come and go down in history as one of the finest films ever made.