a real love story

Rating: 8/10 (28 April 2006)

Hot on the heels of a shed load of awards, Brokeback is a for-runner for Oscar glory. Set in the mountains of America it is a love story of sorts between two ranch hands that lasts over twenty years. Told with affection by director Ang Lee it is for one of a better phrase a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Forbidden love in a climate of intolerance. Firstly this film looks amazing the cinematography is superb, it has a great soundtrack and brilliant performances from the two leads. All that said the script is well adapted from the short story from which it was taken but there is a sense that it may be a little too long, the original was only twenty pages and captured the same emotion within that time as this film does in two and a half hours. Its not that there is really ever a bad moment just a few too many good ones. I don't dislike the film, I rather enjoyed it but I don't think it's as good as the hype, where as I could watch the directors other films like 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' over and over I'm not sure I'd ever feel the need to watch this one again. That said it is worth watching once for all the things that are right with it and I suspect it will clean up at the Oscars. If you want to watch a good film then see this movie. If you don't expect too much you might be pleasantly surprised.