Coen Brothers at their best!!!!!

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2008)

Bleak drama "No Country For Old Men" won four Oscars on Sunday, more than any other film, including best movie, director and adapted screenplay for brothers Joel and Ethan Coen.
I'm giving this film 9 out of 10 stars, because all the knowledgeable critics say this is a masterpiece, and I am an amateur reviewer with too much time on my hands, so what do I know? I may even post a second review once the dust in my brain settles...No Country lived up to the accolades for the majority of the film, with an unexpected ending that needs some in-depth examination to appropriately digest and appreciate. I intend to watch the film a second time to both enjoy the beautiful west Texas cinematography, top notch acting of Bardem, Jones, and Brolin, as well as concentrate on the implications of the ending.
I don't think No Country for Old Men has been released in India. Seems strange ehh? Or have I missed it, I m not quite sure but I managed to download it over the last weekend and see it :-) There is too much happening,a man finds 2 million dollars in the desert, after a drug deal goes wrong. He makes the mistake of going back, and is soon chased by other men who knew about the deal. Now it's a game of cat and mouse between him and a hit-man hired to take him out. Then there is the sheriff who is on their tails. I don't want to give too much away...
The Coen Brothers (Ethan Coen & Joel Coen) are back after a long time to the big screen in this intense blood soaked thriller starring Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem in the lead roles and Tommy Lee Jones plays the Sheriff who's seen too much blood shed in his time. All three give stellar performances, but it's Javier who stands out, as the heartless psycho killer on the lose. The intensity in his voice is enough to make you squirm. His portrayal of the assassin looking for the money is frightening and along with Bill from the Kill Bill films, one of the best villains of the past decade. Tommy Lee Jones is perfectly cast, be it seems like no stretch for him.
There are bits and pieces of dark humour throughout the film, which is a great way to let you relax after the intense moments that are everything else. Even with the bits of comedy here and there, No Country For Old Men is the most mature piece of work from the Coen Brothers. So confidently directed there is no musical score throughout the film. Instead, we are taken directly into this world. We are no longer watching a film, we are apart of the cat and mouse game. Right from the squeaking of shoes on a tile floor of a man being strangled to the beeping of a transmitter signifying impending doom. There is no need for music, the performance speak for themselves.
The Coen Brothers had previously reached a creative peak with Fargo, but No Country for Old Men serves as a new high for the directorial duo, and if Michelangelo can have both the Sistine Chapel and his statue of David, then surely the Coens are entitled to their two masterpieces; the classic Fargo and the modern No Country for Old Men.
Other recommended Coen brother movies: Fargo Blood Simple Burn After Reading