Love In Itself

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2005)

Ang Lee's interpretation of Proulx's beautiful short story is breathtaking. I admired "The Ice Storm" for it's cold, simplistic portrayal of emotion on film. I had read that Brokeback Mountain marked Lee's return to this aesthetic but I had no idea how sublime his rendition would be.
Brokeback Mountain is a story about two men in love. Simply, Heath Ledger's "Ennis" is a down and out drifter with a sad past and a handicap for the art of conversation. Jake Gyllenhaal's "Jack" is a dormant homosexual with a warm heart and a desire to understand his passion. The two meet in hopes of a little cash and a job for the summer. What ensues is a romance not unlike the ones we all fantasize about. Alone and safe in nature, the two are free to explore, and unload, all that is left behind.
Unlike most love stories in cinema, in reality we are not defined by our gushing declarations of love but in everything we guard about ourselves in the pursiut of it. This film is about protection and the spaces in between words. Gesture and facial expression tell the tale more than words themselves.
Look closely at Heath Ledger's face throughout this film and tell me that everything about the story is not contained in that face. There is such a weight to it. It's absolutely heartbreaking.
Jake Gyllenhaal's character is also one that we can identify with. His Jack is hopelessly in love with something he ultimately can't have. I think we've all be there at some point in our lives. His character did what many would do in his predicament. Without giving too much of himself away, he lets Ennis know just how much he loves him. There is no breakdown, no pleading on his part. He subtly emotes "I love you and I don't know what I'd do without you". It is Ennis that we see having the gut-wrenching breakdowns. In this I see the genius of the character study. Some are so confident in their love for another that they have no qualms about expressing it, no matter the outcome. Others opt to play it cool, too cool in fact that their emotions eventually overcome them in a way that is unhealthy and destructive.
This is why I see this film universally appealing. We've all been here in relationships. We all know these confusing, devastating situations. The fact that the story is about two men in love should be an aside, a non-issue.
I know that Brokeback Mountain will touch many people and, hopefully, those who are the slightest bit open will get a glimpse of what love really is. We all have the potential to understand this film. If you are human it is in you.