No Country for Old Men

Also, watch for spoilers. I'm all about the spoilers!

(Joel and Ethan Coen, 2007)

2007's Best Picture Oscar-winner No Country for Old Men was certainly a worthy contender for the title. I was impressed with the storytelling, in that it really didn't have to depend on anything outside of its storytelling. What I mean is that this movie will never become dated because it didn't rely on its setting or any CGI or gimmicks or even unnecessary dialog, but purely on the tale it told. The acting was really terrific; not once did I feel like I was watching a movie. By the way, I don't think I've ever been more frightened by a villain than I was by Anton Chigurh. In general, very out of the box, well done, and thrilling film.

But then I got to the end. Or at least I suspect I did because credits started rolling. There was absolutely no resolution, and I had no idea what the film was trying to say. If I was to take a stab at it, it had something to do with life being a cosmic imbalance of freewill and chance, and that often there's simply nothing we can do against pain and injustice. It's just inevitable. I think a glimmer of hope was hinted at in the closing lines, but without seeing that hope manifested, it's hardly satisfactory. I guess satisfaction wasn't the point.

It's nice to know that, in truth, Good and evil will all unbalance out in the end.

All in all, I enjoyed it and feel glad I watched it. If you consider yourself a film connoisseur, you may want to check it out too. Beware brutal violence and a smidgen of language.

4/5 stars

Above: Me. I kill you.