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Jan
5 2006 | ||
I keep forgetting to put up my review so let me do it now while I remember.
I can see why the movie is getting the accolades it is. First and foremost, beyond politics and hawt male stars, the love story is deep and amazing and heartwrenching. Heath Ledger’s simmering rage and frustration is incredibly well acted and while Jake is nicer to look at in many ways, Heath’s acting stole the movie hands down. Ennis is a man of very few words and so his acting was in his body and his expression and it seriously blew me away. Gylenhall’s devil may care attitude belied a gay man trapped in a straight world. A dreamer in love with a man who has to deal with reality, his part was flashier but in that sense, harder as well.
I admit it, I did cry at the end. I won’t say much other than that one friend said there was a vivid sex scene and I looked for it quite eagerly and didn’t see it. Loads of deeply emotional kissing and struggle against the feelings they had for each other, one sort of sex scene, clearly pretty daring considering how homophobic our culture is, though.
Excellently acted, wonderful screenplay, the physical scenery of Wyoming was breathtaking – I really loved it.
January 6th, 2006 at 3:47 pm · Link
I read this story (by Annie Proulx, whose name I don’t see or hear anywhere) in college. If the movie is anything like the written word it should be one powerful piece of film.
BTW they’re only showing it at one small “alternative” theater here (the one that shows the Rocky Horror Picture Show and indie flicks).
January 7th, 2006 at 3:55 am · Link
I have the book of short stories when it was new so I had it in hardback. I can’t even find it, but I know I missed this story in it. The movie opened this weekend here in town.
January 7th, 2006 at 10:37 am · Link
It seems to be opening in wider release now and I hope it gets to more people because it’s an excellent film.
I love Proulx’s writing but I haven’t read this story and I need to.
January 8th, 2006 at 4:33 pm · Link
The movie is very true to the book. Most the dialogue in the book is found in the movie, nearly identically.
The movie was gripping.
I didnt’ find the sex scene to be vivid, but I did find it to be raw and a bit hard to watch.
January 10th, 2006 at 8:13 am · Link
toxigal – yes that sex scene was so filled with all of this suppressed emotion that it was really heartbreaking.