Viewed in
2008
Premise
After his friend is killed by a U.S. Border Patrolman, a ranch hand drags both to Mexico to give his dead friend a proper burial.
Who should watch
Those who like weird films.
Thoughts
This was one of those films that was more about the journey than the story. If you liked movies like 'Apocalypse Now' or 'Dead Man', you should enjoy this film.
I was quite entranced with the stark images of an old ranch hand (Tommy Lee Jones), a hand-cuffed Patrolman (Barry Pepper), and a dead guy trekking across the arid terrain of Tex-Mex. The cinematography was quite wonderful, as it soaking that world.
The acting was very well done. It's too bad Tommy Lee Jones was not this age during the gold age of Westerns, his face and demeanor just exemplifies that type of character. Kudos to Barry Pepper for taking such a beating in this film. And in a surprise casting, country singer Dwight Yoakam was very natural actor as a flawed sheriff.
While the story was quite realistic in the beginning, the middle section kind of had a 'Weekend at Bernie's' vibe to it. Even though I laughed heartily at the dark comedy, I felt it jumped the shark when Jones' character dowses his dead friend in alcohol and sets him on fire to rid the attacking ants.
Like I said, this film was about the journey. If you like simple, tidy stories that made sense or made you feel good, this is not for you. While at times it went overboard, I had a fun time watching this weird film.
What I would change
There were too many coincidences between the characters. And I did not like the way how some behaved. It was as if they did not know they already met just a few scenes ago.
