No Room for Platitudes

Rating: 9/10 (17 March 2009)

This film really gripped me, but not in any spectacular way, more for the un/ethical values that often creep through the film at quite inopportune times. Despite the violence -although credibly a restrained use of foul-language- the film cannot really be said to be brutal, and instead examines the sinful natures of two men, who both mete out the seven equally, and never really balance the moral with the ethical value of life over the pursuit of death; instead they pursue their own agendas without regard to society or the law. By the close of the film it could equally be argued the law is culpable in sharing the pie of sin.
Another intriguing element is that none of the main protagonists actually meet face-to-face, despite the cat and mouse battle between Bardem and Brolin. This may reflect the changing state of crime in the US, at least on film. In classic cowboy film the two protagonists would ultimately end face to face, or be overwhelmed by the forces of good and admonished from our conscience. But in NCFOM the law in the shape of Tommy Lee Jones is reduced to an ineffective theologian mulling over the changing nature of society in the face of law, and as such most of the revealing discourse comes through Jones.
There are subtle elements to the film that carry the tale beyond the end, and often cause you to view the film to reason the logic for such simple elements such as when both characters desperately seek to purchase a shirt to evade a critical moment. All of which proves Joel and Ethan Cohen are becoming incredible talents in Hollywood, and their determination to do something new with script often translates into intriguing and dramatic film.