The aching emptiness of loss

Rating: 10/10 (11 January 2006)

Ang Lee's metronomic pacing and the juxtaposition of the sprawling Rockies with the mundane and trivial lives of the protagonists creates a tension which only adds to the depth of emotion unearthed by this masterpiece. It is difficult to add to what has been written both here and by critics worldwide in praise of each aspect of the production. I will single out Heath Ledger who astonishes as a cowboy so constricted by his upbringing and the society which he inhabits that he is unable to understand or rationalise his feelings for Jack. The characterisation of Ennis Del Mar came from a place inhabited by the young Brando and few others. The performance is gut-wrenchingly good. At heart the film is a romance and a deserving successor to Casablanca. The film never descends into the melodrama of the classic weepie (Now Voyager for example) and it is Ang Lee's ability to show the depth of his characters sensibilities which lifts the film from very good to great. It matters not a jot if the film doesn't win awards. The proof of the films staying power will be seen a generation hence when it will still be appreciated as an incredible achievement to be watched again and again. It has certainly joined my Pantheon of the ten best films I have ever seen. Kudos to Ledger/Gyllenhaal/Williams and Hathaway for their bravery in throwing off the shackles of "safe" studio roles. Brokeback is uncompromising with its subject matter which is an examination of the human condition. The film transcends labels especially Western or Gay Western. Nothing could be further from the truth.