Brilliant Game of Cat and Mouse

Rating: 10/10 (5 November 2017)

"You can't help but wonder how the old timers would operate in these times," narrates Sheriff Ed in thick and alluring southwestern drawl. We soon find out exactly what he means by "these times." Llewelyn is hunting in a remote and arid grassland, stumbles across a drug deal gone wrong and manages to get away with a bundle of cash. While Llewelyn covers his tracks, keeps his mouth shut and is smart, tough and resourceful, he may not be prepared for what is coming for him in the form of tracker Anton Chigurh. A person without empathy is more dangerous than a coward, and Chigurh is cold, cruel, relentless and methodical. He figures out not just where people are, but where they will be. As Chigurh pursues Llewelyn, others are close behind including Sheriff Ed, a drug cartel, other trackers and Llewelyn's girlfriend, only a few of whom are cut out for this game of cat and mouse.
Ten years after the release of the film and it is well understood how it made or sealed the careers of Javier Bardem (Chigurh), Josh Brolin (Llewelyn), Tommy Lee Jones (Ed) and not least of all the Coens who are some of the best directors in the business. Here the Coens are firing on all cylinders. The film is complex, thrilling and multi-layered. It is full of great lines. Its occasional extreme brutality is offset with wit, charm and humor. Adding to the compelling characters are amazing performances by Jones, Bardem and Brolin. They are perfectly cast. The voice of Jones alone is authentic and enthralling. Bardem is truly chilling. He speaks, moves and acts like a ghost. There are beautiful shots of the southwestern landscape in the morning light and intriguing close-ups of the characters. There is delight even in little details; a coin flip, a drink of milk, a cat and the banter of minor characters. Such attention to detail is a mark of the brilliance of the Coens. The film is set in the 1970s and is based on a story by Cormac McCarthy. This is one of my favorite films (top 20) of all time.