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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Low Key character driven latter day Western,
By Mr. Stephen Kennedy "skenn1701a" (Doha, Qatar) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada [DVD] (DVD)
Superb effort from Tommy Lee Jones - this is both restrained and intense at the same time, telling a story of unexpected redemption. Fans of Jones or Westerns beware - this is no action movie or thriller - this is low key and driven by the characters. And what great characters they are, with superb performances, especially from Barry Pepper. The Texas / Mexico border atmosphere of decaying towns and morals is played unflinchingly, with a story being told amongst the minutiae of everyday life - how many movies zoom in on one of the main characters clipping their toenails while watching TV..? The alienation inherent in the small town where everyone knows everyone and yet are emotionally distant, is contrasted with the Jones character's deep friendship, if not platonic love, for his Mexican friend - to great effect.
The story has been covered in more detail elsewhere, but in a nutshell - a Mexican is shot by accident, and his friend (Jones) has promised him he would bury him in Mexico. He kidnaps the man responsible when the local police do nothing, and takes him on a journey to find the Mexican's home to bury him, and find some redemption along the way. Barry Pepper plays the unpleasant, narcissistic and immature young border guard who goes unwillingly on a journey through which he comes of age. He plays it to perfection. Jones is the big surprise, both in his restrained performance of a man acting on deep friendship, loyalty and a sense of justice, and also in his direction of the movie. The cinematography captures the starkly beautiful scenery, and the editing cleverly tells the beginning of the story in a bravely non linear way which only adds to the strength and sense of the story. Kudos to Jones, then, for taking thought provoking material like this and making a genuine minor classic out of it. It deservedly won the Cannes Festival best Actor and Best screenplay awards. In short, a bleak, but ultimately uplifting movie most assuredly not for the action buffs, but for those who thrive on real characters in extraordinary circumstances. And did I mention the stunning scenery...?
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Surprise surprise,
By Alex F (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada [DVD] (DVD)
Saw Three Burials on a flight from HK back to the UK. Watched it because I couldn't find anything else that sparked my interest. Was glad I did, as it was one of the best films I have seen in a very long time. Very un-American in its construct and any feel-good factor coming from the storyline was unconventional in nature. I highly recommend this refreashing film.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Low key but great,
By
This review is from: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada [DVD] (DVD)
The film is set on the U.S./Mexican border and initially concerns the lives of those who farm the local land or patrol the vast expanses of nothingness in a bid stop illegal immigrants crossing an invisible line. Life is desperate for the local women folk and they resort to affairs in an effort to spice things up, the men just satisfy themselves. A farmhand is killed and Tommy Lee Jone's character (a quiet man-with-no-name character) forces the killer to join him in returning the victims body to his homeland; a far away Mexican village. Three Burials echoes the simplicity of the great westerns of the Sixties, albeit with the occasionally nod to dark Lynch-ian humour. It reminded me a lot of "Stand By Me", in that not a lot actually happens, but its enough just to see the two characters develop and change as they slowly make their way through the landscape. It's kind of a buddy movie too, but with the caveat that neither of the men have anything in common and have no chance of ever ending up as buddies. Recommended.
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