Fargo 2

Rating: 9/10 (12 November 2007)

Over a decade later, No Country for Old Men is the perfect companion to the Coens' 1996 masterpiece. Both films boil down to the tragic consequences of desperate measures people will take out of greed, and both are hilarious all along the way. Set in the 1980s, a time before internet and cell phones, Fargo and No Country follow the paths of characters on both sides of the law. Parallel scenes in each film involve murder investigations by the local law enforcement as they attempt to make sense of the mess; however, the body count is much higher in No Country. Each film displays the problem with everyday men trying to be criminals; they make a lot of mistakes. The white plains of Minnesota winter has become the tan Texas desert, but surroundings match the outlook of both films spot-on: bleak.
With No Country, the Coens' writing is at its best ever with top-notch dialogue and unconventional plot structure, but as much credit, if not more, is due to their collaborator, novelist Cormac McCarthy. This film is the first official novel adaptation for the Coens, and it was definitely a good move on their part. It's the sort of story you get thrown into, and before you realize what's hit you, you're on a bloody, unpredictable ride.
Chief Gunderson's optimism in Fargo gives that film a dash of hope, but No Country is as dark and hopeless as they come. The cynicism is all seen in Sheriff Bell's face (Tommy Lee Jones) as he stands in the morgue staring at a body, don't worry, I'm not going to spoil anything here. As the titular 'old man,' the shot is obviously meant to show just how wrinkled Jones has become in his old age. There are hard lines under his eyes, and the skin sags off his cheeks. He's seen enough.