"No Country for Old Men", a Rare Treat

Rating: 10/10 (17 February 2008)

The Coen brothers strike again with their new brilliant masterpiece "No Country for Old Men." With an outstanding cast and an anything but ordinary storyline, it's hard to believe this film could creep into the theaters without being noticed. But the film isn't just a bang-bang action thriller, for there's more than what meets the eye in this delicately crafted work of art. Conscience, decadence, the strength to act and to step down are all a part of the pinnacle of human nature that's illustrated in every character in this film. The movie opens with one of the most brilliant monologues in film history narrated by Sheriff Ed Tom Bell. Bell is played by the one and only Tommy Lee Jones who gives one of the many fantastic performances in the film. Bell is a law man in the lonely and desolate lands of Texas, where he and others are trying to track down Anton Chigurh, a merciless killer murdering random victims. Javier Bardem plays the sadistic psycho path Chigurh, stealing every scene in the film. When he appears on screen you can feel every muscle seize in your body, and when he speaks every hair will stand like prickles on the back of your spine when you hear him utter "what's the most you ever lost on a coin toss?" Amidst all the chaos in this perplex thriller is poor Llewelyn Moss, played by Josh Brolin who becomes targeted by the killer after he comes across a drug deal gone bad and takes 2 million dollars from the horror scene. Brolin portrays Moss with raw and real emotions, showing his moral contemplations and conflicts throughout the movie. These characters along with many others, including Woody Harrelson and Stephen Root, all play a vital role in this film. It's the choices they make and the actions they take that ultimately lead to their destiny. This is flawlessly conducted with intricate layers of superb acting puppeteer by one of the most amazing adapted screen plays written and two of the most unique directors in cinema history. As incredible as this film may be, it is not for the faint of heart. In between cat and mouse games and the eternal conflicts between right and wrong, the film has moments of being gruesome and absolutely terrifying, yet fascinating to watch; Sometimes you have a powerful urge to look away yet you can't keep your eyes off it. Between a beautiful complex adapted screenplay, powerhouse performances, and a chilling chemistry, "No Country for Old Men" is a rare treat. It's so unpredictable and superb it would be a crime for any one to pass up this dazzling Oscar buzz phenomena.