Bold and Brutal

Rating: 10/10 (23 March 2008)

No Country for Old Men reminded me why I should continue to invest great faith in the Coen Brothers. It seemed that after the mediocre O Brother Where Art Thou their career seemed to be on a downward spiral with silly comedies but No Country for Old Men is their best film on their resume. It's a piece of art in the sense that it is so realistic and it doesn't try to tell a stylized version of something.
Javier Bardem gives one of the best performances in recent years as Anton Chigarh, a killer who is tracking down a man named Moss who stole 2 million dollars in drug money from a crime scene. Chigarh isn't like other villains who carry emotional depth or who give long monologues, he kills because it's his job and because it's easier to solve problems by just killing the opposing party. His character is a simple villain with not much background and that is why he is so scary. Bardem won a much deserved Oscar because even though he doesn't change his facial expression once in the entire movie and his methods are not explained he shows us this dark and twisted soul. He brutally murders people without any hesitation or second guessing. This character is the force of nature that propels this story.
The important piece to the message of No Country for Old Men is that it is brutal and realistic. Bardem deserves all the praise in the world for this character. It's very refreshing to see a film that doesn't glorify villains and shows that sometimes their is no emotion or soul in killers without having to give speeches about the villain or overshadow the deeds with music or lighting. No Country for Old Men is a very plain and gritty looking film, shot very similar to a documentary, the actors tell the story here, not the editing room.
Josh Brolin gives an outstanding performance as Moss, the hunter who takes a chance in picking up the briefcase. He doesn't think twice and runs away with the cash even though he knows it came from an illegal drug deal. He realizes that he will be hunted and he is willing to fight to the death. He is naive though and doesn't know what he is facing. Moss is the everyday blue collar guy who is brought into hell. All though we know he is greedy we can't help but feel for him and we want him to escape Chigarh because we see ourselves in his shoes.
Tommy Lee Jones is the third piece of this cast. He is a sheriff who is tired of this job. Seeing the rampage Chigrah has caused throws him over the deep end. He holds onto some morals and that is what causes him to hate police work. This character doesn't really matter much to the plot but he help empathizes the evil people like Chigrah that are in the world.
The old thriller is still alive here, the Coens generate a great deal of suspense and keep you on the edge of your seat. The visuals along with the superb acting keep you engaged in this thriller.
No Country for Old Men is one of the best films in recent years. Out of the pool of great films in 2007, I'm glad that this one received the most attention.