hackthis_archive | On Brokeback Mountain

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On Brokeback Mountain

Because I love you all so very very much, I forced myself in my sickened delirious state to go to a screening of Brokeback Mountain yesterday evening. I know you all appreciate my sacrifice.

I shall preface this rather long breakdown with a few items.

+ Nothing is ever going to meet your expectations. I have been waiting for this movie to come out for about two years now. Before casting was announced, but after they announced that it was finally going to be made, I was excited. I talked this over with

ethrosdemon and

kattiya at length. I've written RPS about this movie. And when you build something up so much, even if they show you sex being had in graphic detail and give you little samples of lube at the door, it's still not going to be enough.

++ I am not a critic. I don't criticize films for a living. I don't work on movies for a living. I have friends who do, and all I know is what they tell me. I can talk about cranes and lighting and shit with the best of them, but still, well. I did go to the screening with a screen-writer friend, but Clementine (not her real name) was sobbing during the last ten minutes, so I'm not sure she's so objective.

+++ I have read the short story. I don't think this hurt me, but I'm not sure it helped either. From the beginning, if you've even caught a whiff of the press, you know where the story is going. Having read the story, I know how I'd visualized it, and this comes back to #1, the reality never quite meets your imagination.*

*Here is the story for those who are interested in reading it.

++++ I am writing this for me (and you). I'm not here to dissuade or convince anyone to see this movie. I'm writing this write-up, because I'm confused and conflicted and need to sort out exactly how I feel. If it helps or aids you, then that's so much cream.

Now having said that, on to the movie.

The Good

1. It is a beautiful film. I don't tend to be very into cinematography, because I'm much more of a character person, so when it's really good, I can't help but notice. Not that you would expect anything less from the man who made Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but this movie is visually stunning. It's the very first thing you notice about it. The true star of 80% of the film is the setting. The blueness of the sky, the whiteness of the clouds, if it's CGI don't tell me, because really, I'm tempted to move to Alberta.

2. Heath Ledger is a revelation. I have no lost love for Heath Ledger. My entire experience with him can be chalked up to Ten Things I Hate About You, which, while a very amusing film, is also teen central, and The Four Feathers, which bored me to tears. Having said that though, he's got acting chops like I ain't never seen.* His scenes with Michelle Williams are absolutely stellar, and their chemistry is undeniable. On his own, he just conveys Ennis' confusion and anger with these tics and subtle facial expressions not in a million years did I think him capable of. You will be amazed; you will die.

*There are two particular scenes, one in alley after Jack leaves, and another, earlier in the snow, that are just priceless. Damn, I may be on a bandwagon and just not know it yet.

3. The women aren't just there. Yes, this is the story of two men in love, and in the short story the women are completely in the background, but here, they are truly supporting characters. And while the wig department should be ashamed of what they do to Anne Hathaway, again Michelle Williams is stunning. The scene when she sees the true nature of Jack and Ennis' relationship will break you. She's good. Who knew?

4. Oh my god, the kissing. The still that launched a thousand asthma attacks and that I wrote about the other day? Words cannot do it justice, it's so hot you will wet yourself. The violence, the need, the physicality, oh my god. I would go see the film again just for that.

5. It is a love story. The Big Gay Cowboy Movie? Not a big movie nor a particularly gay movie. There is no pride flag, no Richard Simmons, no Cher, and the cowboy thing extends to Jack's rodeo belt and the horses, but it's no western. At its heart this is a story about being in love and all the shit that comes with it.

6. That scene with the shirt. If I were a crier, like Clementine, I might've been in trouble.

7. The Jack and Ennis chemistry. At first I was going to put this in the Not-So Good category, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised it was so subtle that even with the yearning and scrapping, and the "I wish I knew how to quit you" that should've been over the top, it wasn't. One of my big issues was not quite feeling the connection between Jack and Ennis in the first half of the film, but it's a true testament to the actors that even when I had my doubts they made it work. There's a scene after Alma and Ennis' divorce when Jack drives across country to see Ennis' because he thinks this is it, and then the disappointment when he realizes it's not to be. Oh, sad, kids, very very fucking sad.

The Not-So Good

8. It's a cold film. It took almost the entire first half of the film for me to warm up to what was happening. At first I thought it was the theatre, because the theater wasn't exactly warm, but then I realised it wasn't the theatre at all. This is a film about detachment and loneliness. The way the shots are set up, the change of seasons, the way you can't quite get a hold of the characters. I don’t think it's meant to suck you in from the beginning -– at least I hope it's not, because if it is, it failed me.

9. The makeup department needs to hire some help. The idea of The Movie is to see Jack and Ennis together through the years. We're supposed to see them age from 19 to 39. Now, because they're ranchers, they're exposed to the elements, so you expect to see them weathered and the like. This is fine, but there's a particular scene towards the end, where Jack and Ennis are fighting after a "fishing trip" and when Jake Gyllenhaal steps into the background, you can actually *see* the applications around his eyes to make them more wrinkled. And when I say you can see them, I mean the patches are a completely different color that his skin tone. Bad make up, no cookie.

10. Yet again, I see why I'm not a Jake Gyllenhaal fan. I know readers of this LJ will be fucking shocked to hear this in light of all the RPS I've kicked out recently, but I'm not a Jake G fan. There's just something about his acting that doesn't quite do it for me. He wants to emote, and yet just looks sort of pained. His emotions all seem to get scrambled on his face, which is hard for me here because I want to believe him. I want to believe in him so badly, and sometimes he does brilliant things, and other times, not so much so. Also he doesn't weather the years as well as Heath does, and I don't mean that he looks bad, I mean it just looks as though he's playing dress up, but that's probably make-up's fault. Again.

The Down-right WTF?

11. New storylines. The Brokeback Mountain short story is 18 pages in Word, so no matter how you look at it, or how many pretty shots you get of Alberta, you still need to fill it in. Ang Lee decided to do this with another love interest for Ennis after his divorce from Alma, and a subplot with Ennis and his daughter Alma Jr. The fact that the actress they use for Alma Jr looks like she was born, in Clem's words, "about five minutes after Heath Ledger" just makes you want to kick someone in the head. And that love interest? Oh, please spare me now.

12. What sex? Over on

ohnotheydidnt there are screencaps of (one of) the love scenes between Jack and Ennis up on Brokeback Mountain, and let me tell you, you better study them real fucking closely, because when they do actually have sex it's so fucking dark you won't see a damn thing.

The Final Thought

I didn't love this movie. I didn't cry, but I'm not a crier anyway, so you can take that as you will. I didn't hate the film either. I don't think it's possible for me to just sum it up that easily. I think that I was so tangled up with expectations that I couldn't actually enjoy it for what it is, but now, having seen it I can appreciate it more for what it's not.

In the press, the actors have been saying over and over again that it's not the gay cowboy movie, and they're right, it's not. It's just a love story, a good, troubled love story, and that's all right by me.

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Your review sounds about right. I'm still ridiculously excited to see it. :D

Could be they aged Jack that way on purpose except for the mentioned snafu. Although, the story is mostly from Ennis's pov, I don't think he changes much in character. Jack, I think suffers the most, not ever getting what he really wants, and always the initiator in the relationship. Sustained stress can aged a person rather quickly.

I can't wait to see the movie if they ever show the damn thing here in this city.

There's a scene after Alma and Ennis' divorce when Jack drives across country to see Ennis' because he thinks this is it. It's not in the short story,

Well. It is there, just not on screen, so to speak. But I mean, it's mentioned and all. ;)

I;m really looking forward to seeing this anyway--not that it's frickin playing here yet. >:[

//2. Heath Ledger is a revelation. I have no lost love for Heath Ledger. My entire experience with him can Having said that though, he's got acting chops like I ain't never seen. His scenes with Michelle Williams are absolutely stellar, and their chemistry is undeniable. On his own, he just conveys Ennis' confusion and anger with these tics and subtle facial expressions not in a million years did I think him capable of. You will be amazed; you will die. //

Absolutely. I’ve never gave much thought to Heath and after seeing (suffering through) The Brothers Grimm, I didn’t want to ever see him again, but he took that part to another level. He was tremendous.

//9. The makeup department needs to hire some help.//
This movie won’t be winning any Oscars for make-up believe me

// but I'm not a Jake G fan. There's just something about his acting that doesn't quite do it for me. He wants to emote, and yet just looks sort of pained. His emotions all seem to get scrambled on his face.
I want to like Jake. I really do. At my screening he did a Q&A and it gave me a lot of insight about him as an actor and that was interesting. But as an actor and for him being supposedly the greatest young actor around, I feel we’ve been sold a bill of goods.

// What sex? //

Basic cable has better sex scenes. It started out so well with Ennis spitting into his hand. I was getting ready for the ride, but it petered out…sadly.

//The Final Thought
I didn't love this movie. I didn't hate the film either. I don't think it's possible for me to just sum it up that easily. //

It was hard for even the actors to form a solid take on the movie. Jake says that both he and Heath couldn’t say if they liked the movie or not. Whether if it was because they couldn’t take themselves out of their roles or not, but they both have a hard time putting a finger on how they feel about it, other than pride in the film.

Thanks for this. My insane excitement that nothing could have ever possibly lived up to is calmed a bit now. It's good to know about the little things that are likely to annoy me/make my enjoyment a bit less ahead of time. Usually it takes a second viewing before I can let them go, but now I know I'll see it and think "yep, not ideal" and probably enjoy the rest of it more.

This is a film about detachment and loneliness. The way the shots are set up, the change of seasons, the way you can't quite get a hold of the characters. I don’t think it's meant to suck you in from the beginning -– at least I hope it's not, because if it is, it failed me.

I think you're absolutely right about the coldness and I would have to say that I think it was deliberate. I didn't cry during the movie, but it did stay with me and and I ended up crying later because I just couldn't stop thinking of what it must be like to be that lonely. I still can't think very coherently about this movie, but I think actually what makes it powerful for me is the tragedy that not only did Ennis miss opportunities for happpiness, he never really understood that those opportunites were real. And the realization that comes after it, that maybe Ennis was right and there was no way that things ever could have been okay for them and that's just so very sad.

The make-up didn't bother me as much as Jake's mustache. It frightened me.

On a happier, random note, as I was typing this, the song Heath sings in 'Ten Things I Hate About You' just came on the radio and that made me laugh though now it's stuck in my head.

I'm looking forward to it, even if it's not the sex romp my imagination's hoping for. Just the fact that it's a seemingly unassuming film about the isolating quality of a certain type of love is intriguing enough to reel me in. (phew.) And I've been cool with Michelle Williams since The Station Agent. :)

Thanks for the review. It gives me a better idea of what to expect. I also downloaded the short story, as I have not read it.

I just can't wait to see it. I am such a sucker for love stories, and this sounds (both from the previews I've seen and your review) right up my alley.

But I have been informed that it's NOT COMING OUT anywhere near me, and this makes me want to kick things repeatedly. UGH.

See, I've been looking forward to seeing this since I've heard the first rumors. Thanks so much for writing up your response, because I rather trust your judgement, and know what to expect. [not to be creepy here, as I don't know you at all, but I've read a lot of your fic, and liked it, which raises my standards of you considerably.]

I would go see the film simply because it has gay protagonists [no I can't get to be any more of a fag hag.] but the fact that the movie's supposed to be subtle, and all about loneliness and loving someone when you really shouldn't, and then hating yourself for it?

That kind of thing's right up my alley. That's what affects me most.

You mention that you're not a crier, and niether am I. But this kind of topic, done right...I dunno. I might have to bring tissues.

P.S. I am so with you on the Jake non-love. He's good, I suppose, but he does nothing for me. Which is odd because everyone seems to be loving him lately.

Do you know about what day they posted those pics at ONTD, or do you possibly have the link?

Yo, I did not cry THAT much. (Thank you for the Kleenex.)

I agree with ost of the points you made. I talked about it with J at dinner for a really long time and we both agreed that we liked it but there were some things holding us back from being utterly in love with it. And I'll probably write more about it later.

Heath Ledger was also one of the best things about "Lords of Dogtown." I'm not sure why in some films he can just *become* the character and in others it is painfully obvious we are seeing some version himself.

But if you do jump on this strange little band-wagon (I think it is prerequisite to be little embarrassed about considering some of the truly heinous films he has been in and will continue to be in) I would certainly recommend "Lords of Dogtown" (it is a great movie in its own right, which helps.)

You know what's really bothering me? I'm starting to think that Jake, Ang, Heath etc. have a stick up their collective ass about people going to see this movie for the boykissing. They're so eager to pander to the straight middle-class audience that they're neglecting to acknowledge all the people who are going to see the movie anyway because they WANT to see Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal making out. To a certain extent I supported them but now I'm just sick of it and I jump up and cheer everytime somebody says "We don't give a flying rat's ass if you have issues with the gay part of the movie."

I realise now that my little diatribe has nothing to do with your review. Sorry. I think that a lot of people felt the same way you do about the coldness and alienation of the film.

Also, I like Jake. So I'm pretty much going to like him doing anything.

Especially kissing Heath.

In the press, the actors have been saying over and over again that it's not the gay cowboy movie, and they're right, it's not.

I think this is was part of what was worrying me about the hype on lj. The movie I'd seen and what people are obviously expecting just didn't match up. And now that someone else has weighed in, I feel a little less innsane.

#2: I saw the 'Making of' special and was absolutely floored as HL slipped in and out of character. I like him as an actor, having seen him in more than just '10 things' :), but the voice, the nuances as you say, just... wow.

You know for not being a reviewer you did a damn fine job :) I'm still going to rent this when it comes out on DVD. I like Heath Ledger and Anne Hathaway and am big on cinemotography, and thanks for linking the actual short story BTW :)

After watching...someone's? :S....special on the movie I recognize that it is probably going to be one that I can say "I recognize it had good points, I totally respect the actors and crew that put all they had into it, but I could probably go without seeing it for another couple years". That's about as low an expectation as I go into a movie with, so it can either be met or go up from there.

I agree with the feeling of disconnect you mentioned during the first half. Afterward I thought it was not as much a coldness as a failure of the characters to communicate. I wanted them to not only fall in love but understand where the other was coming from. This took them awhile to even acknowledge and even then they never really let the other know how much the relationship had effected them. They said it indirectly, they acted on it but not always with the other person in the same room. It just increased the sadness for me. I also think the casting of "The West" as a character added to some of that and while it was pretty, that part didn't work for me.

I also liked Jake's performance more then you. I felt like he makes the character himself rather then inhabiting a character and I believed him the whole time. Heath had amazing scenes too but I still felt Jake showed the needy, freer, dreamer side to that character in a true way.

Thanks for sharing your review!

this is the best writeup/review/etc that I have seen for this movie. you, as usual, rock my socks.

*kisses*

*There are two particular scenes, one in alley after Jack leaves,

The alley scene was my favorite, because it just summed up all of Ennis right there in ten seconds.

I really enjoyed the movie, not only for the visual aspects, but also for how Heath Ledger acted his ass off. I like that you thought it was cold in the beginning, because it says a lot about how Ang Lee presents a man who cuts himself off from everyone and never fully realizes who he is as a person. I didn't get a cold feeling from it; I got more of the detached sense -- with the wide open landscapes and endlessness that seemed to pervade the shots.

Also, I was disappointed that I didn't sob, dammit! I did tear up at the very end when he touches the shirts hanging in his closet. Oh, Ennis.

I'm just back from seeing it and I loved it. Not loved it, like I love watching the sappy shit I normally see. But loved it like I cried all the way up and over Laurel Canyon.

I totally agree about the terrible make up. The eyes on Ennis were terrible work and distracting as all hell.

Yet, overall, it worked for me. Even though I had read the story years ago, it didn't break me in the same way. Could've been me, could've been my lack of love for Proulx.

What I keep coming away with is how tragic and almost Shakespearean it is, if Shakespeare wrote modern stuff set in the West. All of that repression, all of the swallowing back what you want for want you think you should do to survive. Ennis, in the movie at least, made me think of how I wish I'd see Othello played. Broken bit by bit, all of the hate and confusion and ultimately regret turning inward and eating him away.

The other line delivery that was pitch perfect, I think, was when Ennis blames Jack for making him feel and for turning, in his estimation, his life into the mess it is. That feelings was so dead on.

And then, with Jack's parents. Gah. The mother.

do you still have the original short story in your files? would you be willing to send it to me?

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Where are the pics?

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re: Heath Ledger

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