Weakness comes in the lack of meaning

Rating: 3/10 (28 November 2008)

No Country for Old Men is a sad indicator of films today. There are many great actors but they move around in a shallow story doing their best.
The story is supposed to follow a Texas man who comes across the remains of a drug deal gone bad. He soon finds two million in cash and in a series of poor choices ends up being hunted by a psychotic killer. An old sheriff is the lone law man who seems to understand what is happening making the final connections between the bloody drug deal, other murders, and the Texans running from town.
In all the actors did a good job which helps to elevate the gross flaws in this film. We get a rich and psychotic man, a lone Texan trying to survive, and on older sheriff seeking his dreams of what the past was. The problem comes that there is no depth to the story or to the characters beyond a few words and poorly written scenes.
The story shows us no meaning behind anything we see in the film. It is like watching a poorly done newscast. I see people and know of events but they are so distant from us the viewers. Why do I care about this man running from the killer? Who is he? What is his life like? What is this sheriffs desire for seeking the old times? Where is the wisdom he seems to have grounded in? What is the sheriffs desire in combating the evil he sees growing in the world he lives in? What is this killers hidden code? What is his role in this entire thing? These empty characters move around on the screen in bloody shot outs and fights giving us little to care about. No emotion is felt through out the film and when characters do die they are easily shrugged off as simple objects.
Beyond the character issues we have a poorly executed story. We know nothing of what is taking place beyond, man hunts man and kills others. Several "major" players are introduced to fill us in but their scenes fills nothing in and is to short to make us care about the story as a whole. We also meet smaller players who are supposed to give us insight into the story and other characters but once again their actions and involvement amounts to nothing.
This film points out how shallow the movie industry has become. No one cares about growth and story, they simply wish to see stuff move around, things to blow up, and people to get shot. With a few exceptions shallow stories like this and others will continue to dominate the theaters with wild applause while quality is ignored.