Ang Lee's story of cowboy forbidden love

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2006)

I had high hopes for this, based on Ang Lee's other film Crouching Tiger which was beautifully shot and acted but, although very beautiful to look at, it was a film that didn't seem to go anywhere. A lot of this was the thin premise of the story. Two cowboys thrown together in lonely circumstances begin a sort of sexual relationship but, because of their lives and situation at the time (the sixties) have to continue their love secretly. For me it was a very disappointing film, although very well acted by all the actors, I genuinely felt it wasn't going anywhere and after half an hour, felt it could have been a shorter movie.
I'm not even sure it did that much for the gay rights movement in America, either. After all, neither actor was overtly gay either in their scenes together or in real life. Heath Ledger was the strong, very silent type and Jack Gyllenhaal, an actor who was more at home playing this sort of role, was quite likable.