No Country for Old Men (2007)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Directors:

Ethan Coen
Joel Coen

Writers (WGA):

Joel Coen (screenplay) &
Ethan Coen (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There Are No Clean Getaways

Plot:

Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon some dead bodies, a stash of heroin and more than $2 million in cash near the Rio Grande.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Neo Noir | Mariachi Band | Motel | Leg Wound

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 88 wins & 36 nominations

Cast

Tommy Lee Jones	...	Sheriff Ed Tom Bell
Javier Bardem	...	Anton Chigurh
Josh Brolin	...	Llewelyn Moss
Woody Harrelson	...	Carson Wells
Kelly Macdonald	...	Carla Jean Moss
Garret Dillahunt	...	Deputy Wendell
Tess Harper	...	Loretta Bell
Barry Corbin	...	Ellis
Stephen Root	...	Man who hires Wells
Rodger Boyce	...	Sheriff Roscoe Giddens
Beth Grant	...	Carla Jean's Mother
Ana Reeder	...	Poolside Woman
Kit Gwin	...	Sheriff Bell's Secretary
Zach Hopkins	...	Strangled Deputy
Chip Love	...	Man in Ford

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic violence and some language.

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Australia:MA | Portugal:M/18 | Brazil:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Finland:K-15 | USA:R (certificate #43473) | Hong Kong:IIB | South Korea:18 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | New Zealand:R16 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta) | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 | Israel:16 | Norway:15 | Denmark:15 | Taiwan:R-18 | Spain:18 | Iceland:16 | South Africa:16 (16V) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Malaysia:18PL | Argentina:16 | Austria:16

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Paramount Vantage

Trivia:

Llewelyn's shotgun is a Winchester Model 1897 (with the barrel sawed down and filed, and the shoulder butt sawed-off and the handle taped around), one of the first successful pump-actions.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Anton blows the deadbolt and opens the door to Llewelyn's trailer, he steps inside and crouches down to pick up the mail lying on the floor as if it had been delivered through the mail slot. However there is no mail slot in the door. In addition, the mail is sitting too far away from the door to have been slid underneath it.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ed Tom Bell: I was sheriff of this county when I was twenty-five years old. Hard to believe. My grandfather was a lawman; father too. Me and him was sheriff's at the same time; him up in Plano and me out here. I think he's pretty proud of that. I know I was. Some of the old time sheriffs never even wore a gun...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Seth Rogen/Spoon (#33.2)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Las mañanitas

"You don't have to do this."

"You don't have to do this," repeated words in this lingering film, which really does not feel like a typical Coen Brothers film to me. Fargo, had its quirky character and its grotesque moments, but this film is all about a subdued natured intermixed with quick action. For what I expected, I got some of it, but also a bit more of a subdued air and timing than I expected. It would do things in spurts, action at the beginning then a lull and more thunder. It worked great for keeping one on edge, which Brolin did, excellently in the lead role lying awake thinking too hard. Jones too was good in a strong supporting role as a close to retirement sheriff who is on the outside shaking his head at the carnage and mayhem unleashed by the simple finding and taking of a satchel full of money.

The real gem and glue of the film though is Javier Bardem's menacing character who has his own brand of justice, which is extremely harsh and well insane. Even the one who claims to know him cannot even begin to stop or even slow him down. Bardem whom I have not had the pleasure of seeing in anything before is gold and like no other before looks to have the supporting actor award locked up in this performance. His presence is felt, even when he does not show up. That is something I have not seen in film well since probably The Third Man and Orson Welles' character Harry Lime.

I cannot really describe the film that well so I will suffice to say that is best modern western tale I have seen since The Three Burials of Melquiades, which also happened to have Tommy Lee Jones and was directed by him to boot. Another thing I noted was the lack of strong score. The filmmakers just seemed to let the sounds of the creaking boots and the desert landscape speak for the film. It felt natural and a bit menacing.