An Emotional Experience

Rating: 10/10 (14 February 2006)

This movie is by far the best I've seen in about 15 years, because the characters seemed real and I FELT for them. Some people have said the story is simple, with little action, but I disagree. Actually the tortuous way in which the two guys' relationship unfolds, and the effect it has on all the other characters, is very complex. Who can begrudge Heath Ledger an Oscar for his outstanding performance, with all the nuances and naturalness of a Jack Nicholson, for example. The cinematography of the scenes on the mountain itself is also important, as the sweeping vistas hint at the equally vast landscapes of the soul, and their equivalent beauty. Nothing could have prepared me for the power, intensity and honesty of this film: it will live with me for a long time afterward.