Joel and Ethan Cohen

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.

I manged to watch this whilst trawling through the internet for films to watch. Luckily I found it! And it's not even released in my country yet. I was not disappointed. No Country for Old Men is one hell of a film, so good I might have to re-rate some other films. For sure an American classic and yes this is a masterpiece. And no American Gangster is not what I first thought it was after watching it. This is the first Cohen brothers film that I've watched. I don't know how I have manged to not watch any of their films but I will now. No Country For Old Men is a character-driven masterpiece. I'm sure I will mention that again in this review.

No Country For Old Men is definatly one of the best of 2007, possibly in my top 5. Not as good as the superb Atonement, but is still sensational. The film's narrative is relativly simple but by the end of the film you come out feeling like you witnessed something more. The film is incredibly stylistic. I mean you find yourself deliving into the scenery because it's just awe-inspiring it truly is. I don't think i've seen such a great film this year since Atonement.

The film plays with your own perception of morality. For instance the tossing of the coin by Bardem's character and Le-Jone's character's perception of morality in this era. The sense that what is real now does not reflect the past is also reflected in the film. Vietnam is often repeated symbolised the "Old Men" in the title. Also symobolising this is "No Country For Old Men." If you see what I mean. Luckily most users on this site, from reading their reviews have picked up on that.

Shot through some humours moments, which is evidently refelcting what would otherwise be in a real-life situation, should not be mistake for "gooy" moments" in the film. As No Country For Old Men is one serious girtty western drama. And for once an American thriller which actaully keeps you thrilled to the very last moment.

The acting in this is something of pure greatness. From Tommy Lee Jone, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Scottish actress Kelly McDonald; No country for Old Men delivers something of pure greatnes, if that's a word, maybe I made it up right there. Javier Bardem, in the first role that I've seen him in, seems to have done his best performance of his career. For sure an Oscar nomination and possibly my vote for winning it. His character's presense and ghost-like ora throughout the film, gives off one chilling performance that I will never forget. I'm still thinking of it now. Josh Broling, who also completes the sensational cast, produces a great performance but is outlclassed by Javier Bardem for me. Tommy Lee Jones is as ever brilliant and will no doubt get an oscar nomination. Also great to see Scot Kelly McDonald complete one great Texan accent. You could hardly regonise her in this.

The cinematogrphy is magnificent. It's the part of rthe film in which you are imeadiatly drawn into. The colours, almost fitting the mood of every scene. The script is expertly crafted to perfecton and will no doubt get an oscar nomination.

What is magnificent about this is that for majority of the film, there isn't much dialogue and much of the character's body language conveys the meaning to you. For instance one scene in the petrol station with Bardem's character and one with Brolin and Bardem's character.

If there's one film that yu see after you watch Atonement....it's this one. Both are just magnificent films. No Country For Old Men goes into American Film history as one of the great films. I'm still in awe of these two great directors. I must watch more of the Cohen's work.

I do't want to say any more about this brilliant piece of filmkaing as I will give bits away...so I will leave you to make your minds up.

Roger Ebert:

"This movie is a masterful evocation of time, place, character, moral choices, immoral certainties, human nature and fate. It is also, in the photography by Roger Deakins, the editing by the Coens and the music by Carter Burwell, startlingly beautiful, stark and lonely. "

*Magnificent Highly recomend*

Director:Joel Coen
Released: 1996
Stars: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi,William H. Macy and Harve Presnell
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Country: USA



Jerry Lundegaard is in a financial jam and, out of desperation, comes up with a plan to hire someone to kidnap his wife and demand ransom from her wealthy father, to be secretly split between Jerry and the perpetrators. Jerry, who is not the most astute of individuals, hires a couple of real losers from the frozen northern reaches of Fargo, North Dakota for the job. Then things begin to slip from bad to worse as Jerry helplessly watches on.

Oddly I'm a complete newcomer when it comes to the cinema of Joel and Ethan Cohen. This is only the third film of theirs that I've seen, the other two being Oh Brother Where Art Thou? and the brilliant No Country For Old Men, which I loved from last year. After watching this and my opinion on No Country For Old Men, I really must search for other DVD's by them because, what I've seen so far have a uniquness about them, orginality. Which is key to any succesful film.

Fargo is based around true events and set in 1987 in Minneapolis. Most of the characters are based around the actual people around those events but names have been changed. This imediatly sets you thinking as a viewer about what exactly are you about to watch, This adds a touch of realism to the sequences that follow and you really start to believe each and every thing that happens. The characters in Fargo, feel like real people and not in any way manipulated by the writers to be something they're not. You really feel that this sort of thing could happen to anyone at any given time. The main lead, played by the very underated William H Macy, was doing something I'm ure any one of us could understand, given the recent ecomnomc problems in the US and the UK. You feel that what you are happening mirrors that of your own life in some repects.

Fargo was nominated for seven academy awards and won 2. One of which was Best Writing, which is more than deserves. The script is absolutly brilliant. What was excellent was the over-use of" Ya" constanly through out the film, which gives you a sense of the accent in that state, It also makes for some hilaious sequences. I'm sure I laughed several times the film, in particular when we see two characters exchanging the Ya's in the film. Very funny indeed. the script plays well thoughout the film and the dialogue is realitsic for each character.

I'm sure Fargo is one of the best crim dramas that I've seen, perhaps not up there with Pulp Fiction, but extremly close to. Fargo has some stunning cinematogrphy in it. Most notably the snow surrounding the state, gives a sense of the isolation in the town.

Acting is just perfect. I loved William H Macy's very underated role as Jerry Lundegaard. He really suited his role and I'm sure I haven't seen him in anything quite like that before and he rightly got an Academy Award nomination. Frances McDormand is pitch perfect as Police Chief Marge Gunderson into her first homicide investigation. She's incredibly funny to watch in this film and is an extremly likeable character. Also worth mentioning Steve Buscemi in another great role. One to check out there.

Probably the most jaw dropping scene in the film is that Woodchipper Scene, which I don't think I've seen anything quite like that before. The noise of that woodchipper was so loud that you really didn't quite know what you were in for. Hilarious nonetheless.

Fargo is possibly one of the greatest crima dramas you'll. The realism in this is fantastic and you'll laugh, be shocked and watch in awe of the greatness in this film and the great Coen brothers. Such an amazing film. Watch out for the great score aswell.

Highly recomended watch!

9/10