A Mountain of Memories

Rating: 10/10 (6 April 2006)

It isn't unusual to see a film surpass what viewers expect of it. Truth be told, audiences enjoy it. Such is the case with Brokeback Mountain. This is the unexpected story of lonely people in search of a special dream. What is not expected is that they are American cowboys and are gay. Touching off a firestorm of controversy, this film is the first of what many believe will be the next barrier in the long history of prejudicial cinema. Years ago, Europeans ventured into this forbidden niche and established a precedent which up until now, American film companies have been reluctant to address. With the incredible talents of Heath Ledger as Ennis Del Mar and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist the US has not only responded and shattered conventional wisdom, but offers perhaps the finest film of it's genre. Brokeback mountain is a story of two men searching for companionship and love. Unexpectedly thrown together by their search for employment, the two reluctantly accept ranching duties in the high Alpine mountains of Wyoming. There amid a vast wilderness, tending sheep and reflecting on their dreary lives, Ennis and Jack accept their solitude and quickly learn they are drawn to each other. Neverthelless, their conventional world defies, tugs and tears at their burgeoning affection for one another. Both men feel passionately, yet realize their forbidden affair could easily rip apart their facade of masculinity. Eventually, over a period of twenty years, they learn to deal with friends, families, and social pressures as their secret begins to evaporate. Emotionally charged and deeply touching in every respect, the film presents audiences with a portrait of fading Americana, amid changing seasons. All in all, a courageous attempt to mirror the life and loves of a reclusive aspect of the American cowboy. ****