An Exquisitely Told Love Story!

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2005)

I really hate it when morons who haven't seen the movie decide to comment on it -- always negatively.
Anyway, this is a terrific love story out of the American West unlike any other ever put on film. As Heath has stated in an interview, "It's the story of a homophobic man who falls in love with another man."
Taken from a heartbreaking short story (which I love) of the same name, the film turns out better than I could ever have anticipated. All the parties involved are working at and beyond their best. Ang Lee directs with an incredibly insightful and steady hand, the script is a minimalist gem where every utterance carries meaning well beyond the words, the cinematography is splendidly evocative of the wide open and lonely spaces, and finally the actors -- ah, the actors -- all just superb: Heath Ledger is simply stunning in bringing Ennis Del Mar to life, Jake Gyllenhahl is his perfect partner, and both Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway do beautiful supporting work.
By all means, see this film. It's probably the best of the year, and in my opinion one of the best-told stories to hit the big screen in ages.