So I went and saw Brokeback Mountain this past weekend. While a movie about Gay Cowboys isn't something that would normally be up my alley...my reasons for seeing it were as follows:
1) I needed to know what all the hype was about (I mean there is SERIOUS hype going on about this movie)
2) I wanted to see how a gay relationship would be played out in a mass audience movie
3) Though I haven't read it... the movie is based on a short story which means that there would probably be lots of symbolism to analyze which I love.
Some positives about the movie:
1) It was a beautiful movie. The shots were all artistic and epic looking. Truly gorgeous. I think they filmed partly in Wyoming and Canada. Made me want to go backpacking, and sort of made me sad that I lived in NYC and not CA where the mountains are easily accesible.
2) Heath Legder DID do a nice job as did Michelle Williams, but I didn't really think it was groudbreaking performance... just a better than average job- alot of it having to do with the plot of the story.
3) The music was pretty.
My thoughts on the story:
Firstly, I just want to say that I definitely need to read the short story to make an accurate assesment. BUT, based on soley the movie- here is what I think was going on...
The two main characters Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gylenhall) weren't actually gay. Jack seems the easiest for me to pin a label on so I am just going to do it: Hornball. Seriously, the guy needed to boink anything that moved men, women, creepy mexican male hookers... at one point in the movie he said basically that he needed to get some often- which makes me think more than being gay, the man was just super horny. Ennis is a little harder to figure out. He clearly liked the feel of the gay relationship- so much that he brought that aspect into his relationship with his wife...but until Jack contacted him, he was fine just being with his wife. Jack though, holds a special place in Ennis's heart. I believe that the relationship started because Jack came into Ennis's life at a time when he needed someone the most. Ennis speaks of his life before meeting Jack and we find out that his parents were killed when he was young (car accident) and that he had been raised by his brother and sister on NO money (he said his parent's left them with $38) and as soon as they could, they abandoned Ennis by getting married. That is why he came to Brokeback Mtn for work- his sister had gotten married and he essentially was being kicked out. He did say he was engaged, but he doesn't really elaborate on that relationship other than to say that he was a virgin. His first sexual encounter is with Jack- and it is Jack who initiates it (they had been up on that Mtn. all alone for awhile and I am sure his horniness was at an all time high). Ennis fights it, but then gives. The story goes on and on- both men get married, but keep sneaking away and going on "fishing trips" to Brokeback Mtn. and re-living the affair of years past...I guess the thing for me is that this relationship between the two men is barely even friendship, it's completely a physical relationship. A physical need they have for each other. I think Jack's need stems from his horniness and that Ennis's stems from his wanting to hold onto that good point in his life. His life was rough and after he married it was still rough- he worked long hard hours and had crying children to take care of... when he was on Brokeback Mtn. he could forget all of his cares and just live in the moment of years ago when things were carefree and it was just him, Jack and the Mountain.
Anyway... those are my thoughts. Overall it was an okay movie. I don't think I loved it. It definitely didn't deserve all the hype. I had heard that they script was "perfect" I think that is quite the overstatement. I think that you never really get to know the depths of Jack Twist's character. (WARNING SPOILER)So much that at the end when he dies, I felt sort of sad, but not really because he was just a selfish person who was getting in the way of the happiness in Ennis's life.
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