Movie Review: Brokeback Mountain

Much has been made of "the gay cowboy movie" and in spite of the fact that President Bush hasn't seen it, it seems it will be a favorite come Oscar time, so it was on my list to see. I knew nothing about the plot going into it. I saw it with a friend who had read the 40 page short story it was based it on. She said it was very faithfully adapted.

Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) are two ranch hands who take a job in the summer of 1963 herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain. Basically it's just the two of them up on the mountain, one minding camp while the other watches the sheep. Ennis is the quiet type, barely saying a word, but as the weeks go by Jack gets him to talk a bit. One cold night, Ennis is outside freezing and Jack tells him to join him in the tent. And then they start going at it. Really, to me this was right out of the blue. My friend said it happened on page 3 so I guess that's why. In spite of the fact they both say it was a one time thing and that neither of them is "queer", it happens again.

One day their boss seems them frolilcing outside. The job comes to an end a month early. Whether it's because of an early snow storm or because the boss is discriminating against them isn't clear, just like real discrimination isn't always clear. After a barely uttered "See you around" each go their own way.

Ennis stays in Wyoming and Jack moves to Texas. Each marries and has children and 4 years later Jack writes Ennis saying he'll be in town and asking if he wants to go on a weekend trip to Brokeback. Ennis agrees and as soon as Jack arrives they have a passonate embrass behind a building. Ennis' wife Alma (Michelle Williams) catches a glimpse of it and is devastated. But she doesn't say anything.

We see the relationship remain stagnant over 20 years while the rest of their lives fall apart. Alma divorses Ennis, Lureen (Anne Hathaway) and Jack grow apart, Ennis can't keep a relationship with a waitress going. Jack would like the two of them to get their own ranch, but Ennis tells the story of two men who had their own ranch where he grew up who were the laughing stock of the town, until they were killed. No instead Ennis is content with their fishing trips several times a year. But he's not really.

It seems the answers to all his problems would be for Ennis to say he's gay, but that's the one thing he can't do. Brokeback Mountain is a film with beautiful scenery, long pauses, tragic supporting characters, and a forbidden love. I've seen a review say this could be about someone not pursuing a love of cabinetmaking, trying to get passed the gay stigma. I think that's going a bit too far. Which is the same way I feel about all the praise this film has generated, I think it goes a bit too far. It's a good film, but I don't see why it's great.