Good, but not the year's best film.

Rating: 8/10 (29 January 2006)

Buried under an avalanche of praise from critics and moviegoers, there is a real film called "Brokeback Mountain;" it is a moving story of missed opportunities, small moments of happiness, set against a backdrop of confusion, homophobia, and general unhappiness. It is a good movie, with fine performances, a thoughtful script, and involving direction; however, it is probably not a great movie, or the year's best film, or a milestone in the history of cinema. This fact will not prevent many from viewing it that way. That's fine.
I subscribe to James Berardinelli's view of the film: that audiences, in an effort to rebuff the hateful words of some right-wingers, have over-hyped "Brokeback Mountain", making something beyond what it is. It is a good movie, however, and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in these kinds of tragic stories. Michelle Williams should be singled out for her especially good work, and Linda Cardellini is great in a small role.