A devastatingly subtle tragic love....

Rating: 10/10 (30 August 2006)

The pendulum finally swings the other way in Hollywood, thanks to Ang Lee's fine direction. Subtlety and sobriety encompasses this tragic love between two humans unravelling at a dawn in 1963 and ending in darkness 20 years later. Beautifully canvassed allowing the actors to give their finest performances so far, each one of them. Jake more than Heath traverses his character transformation from naive vitality to anguished disappointment with such a nuanced performance. Brokeback certainly got *us* film lovers good..
How the balance (white and black hats that complement each other, yin and yang) between Ennis and Jack moves from the former's dominance to the latter's slowly taking charge and after the final heated argument, letting go after 20 years... his father admitting that another ranch neighbour had replaced Jack's 'dream of settling in the ranch' with Ennis. Watch Ennis's facial expression change from a light self-satisfied smile to his nostrils flaring slightly in shock at the words as he had always assumed Jack's love for him as a given. Jack was able to negotiate with his strict uncaring father about his dreams but in contrast Ennis was unable to come to an understanding of his own emotions even with himself. And then his discovery of the 2 shirts which finally drives the point home of Jack's constant love and Ennis' loss. Poignancy at its best.
I believe this film requires several revisits to fully comprehend the nuanced performances and storytelling. Ennis silently debating with himself at the fire before entering the tent the second night and giving in wholly and his unarticulated sadness at leaving the mountains; his eager impatience at Jack's impending visit after a 4-year hiatus and probably the only time when his emotions take over his stoic demeanour (shocking Jack too) and after their final meeting the screen completely blacks out signifying darkness / night / doom. And then the story moves to a different plane of a poignant loss.
I wish to thank the entire cast and crew - each one of them - of this beautiful emotional film for their sincerity since I don't think the motive was money (let us forget Randy Quaid here) and their dedication is apparent in every frame for making this devastatingly simple story that lingers forever and forever.... even in India so far away from rural Americana.