It's their sad story and it's the strongest cinema

Rating: 10/10 (2 January 2007)

This is how I felt after seeing the last scene of this film: pain growing, now i'm feeling that I so want to cry, tears are almost coming, but now the pain locks everything inside, tears are sealed inside me, I want to take a swallow but can't, the throat has cramped, I feel dizzy and want to faint, I can't see clearly, I have a blackout, my head wants to explode ... I ended up crying almost all night in my bed, as I woke up I was afraid to see even the DVD cover of "Brokeback Mountain." Now this is The Movie...
This one really speaks to you. The story touches you're heartstrings like they've never been touched before. You will ache! Do not press too much on that gay button. It isn't a gay cowboy movie(a cruel simplification), if that was what you looked for. Annie Proulx wrote thestory just about two men. Although Cowboy hats and location add a lotof magic into the film- it creates a feeling that you are exactly there in that exact time with those two men. A heart-wrenching story it is- yet so beautiful! Many say that the death of Jack was too predictable. But it doesn't matter here. "Brokeback Mountain" has that unique depth and above all- realism in it that all your predictions doesn't matter after all. It is more painful than you could ever predict- we try to deny the true tragedy, while it is still clearly on the screen. It's not the ending only that wrenches the heart. The WHOLE 20 YEARS of agonized love and desires which didn't come true end tragically. And now Ennis del Mar (perfectly played by Heath) still has to find strength to go on, not being able to tell anyone about his one and only true love of life, his friend, his Jack Twist. All the pain he has to bear alone! 20 years full of hopes which didn't come true-which weren't even meant to become true in reality- something that Jack and Ennis silently realize, but it doesn't make them stop hoping, it doesn't make their flourished love to be undone, it is there, when they're out on their own on the Brokeback- where they are just purely happy. All the best Jack and Ennis had was on their first time at Brokeback and they still are influenced by it for the rest of their lives, because they want it all back. What they once had becomes their only meaning and reason of existence. All the silent scenes speak to us (magic of Ang Lee), you always have to keep in the back of your head that they both are desperately longing for something, always, throughout the movie. You have to keep the unwritten laws of society always in the back of your head while watching the movie, don't forget the fact that it all was a lot harder in 1963 Wyoming, homosexuals were more isolated than they are today- it really does help you to understand the tragedy, the short-lived happiness, love which had to be hidden- had to! They couldn't do anything about it. More dramatic is that Ennis knows the reality and Jack wishes to deny it, he just... wants the tragedy to turn into "Whiskey Springs"- it's amazing how pure Jack's wishes are. Jack and Ennis both know what miserable faith awaits them and they get more and more devastated by seeing it happen too. Two different characters- realist and the dreamer- fall for each-other, both afraid of their own sexuality. And all that Jack and Ennis wished, they just couldn't have. In the end of the movie Junior (Ennis's daughter with his divorced wife Alma) comes to tell Ennis that she's going to be married, saying that so light-heartedly and happily and you can't help but think about how different all was for her now old broken-hearted father, how difficult time he has had. Of course you would ask why Ennis ruined his life by only clinging on one man, obviously the most impossible love to have, but... Jack was all what Ennis had and all they both had was true love, that's where the whole tragedy starts to make sense- all the time they spent together Jack and Ennis both knew in the back of their heads that it's all not going to end well . I can't put it in words why I or so many other people appreciate this movie. Love is the force that can hurt us the most. Human behavior is complex as the Wyoming landscape Anne Proulx has said. The whole story is not just the story of these two men, it is a story about all things in life: pressures of society, love, hope etc. It takes two guys to show us what love is! You will be amazed how pure Jack's and Ennis's love is. It helps to go on knowing this story.
This movie is honoring and representing all those untold painfully ended love-stories out there. It is full of ache, melancholy and also funny moments- exactly how I like it. It is love that we live for and only love can hurt us as much as it's shown in this movie.
Last line "Jack, I swear..." is the best line in the history of film-making, and also the saddest. I've never seen a love-story as sad as "Brokeback Mountain"- in my opinion the best motion picture ever made.
The performances by Jake and Heath were so great that I just can't say enough to do them justice.
Anne Proulx however has said the reason why the story is so popular might be that the theme of pure and powerful love shown in this story has been forgotten in our modern world.
I wish there were more movies like this, but unfortunately there isn't.