The Coen brothers have ripened their uniquely warped perspective with a new level of cinematic sophistication for “No Country for Old Men,” easily one of the best films of the year. As they always do, Joel and Ethan Coen jointly produce, direct, edit and write with a mysterious alchemy that — in today’s case — results in a haunting, jolting, grisly and yet still droll contemporary adult crime Western.
But unlike their previous masterwork, “Fargo,” for example, their adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s backwater Texas novel about a blood-soaked game of cat-and-mouse circa 1980 finds its streak of black comedy without that detached tone of ridicule that has often characterized the Coens’ output. We are allowed a deep, non-ironic emotional investment in the lives of the doomed prey of ruthless stun-gun killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). So as the finicky black-clad murderer in the goofy pageboy haircut stalks then mows down his victims, the impact thrills and terrifies with greater resonance.
At first, it seems that the protagonist of the piece will be hunter Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), an overconfident working stiff who stumbles across the corpse-strewn aftermath of an illegal drug deal gone wrong and, naturally, can’t resist making off with a briefcase containing $2 million. Realizing the risk but blinded by greed, Llewelyn sends away his wife, Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald) — the innocent heart of the picture — to try to protect her while he figures out how to keep the money undetected. But as it turns out, the movie’s true hero is local county Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones). He’s the only figure in the movie aware and humble enough to understand the magnitude of the threat in the dogged assassin Anton.
As Anton chases Llewelyn and the money, the body count mounts. And it’s a distinct panoply of humanity that gets wiped out in the process, because the Coens again showcase a series of great faces in even the smallest parts to populate this American gothic realm.
Woody Harrelson as a brash fixer, Tess Harper as Ed’s loyal wife and a number of other fine character actors pop up to further the story. But it is the powerful performances of the approachable Brolin, the steadfast Jones and — especially — the electrically fierce Bardem that keep us anchored at a human level in the filmmakers’ vision of a perverse modern West.
Through the Coens’ lens, aided by cinematographer Roger Deakins’ evocative outlook on a harsh landscape, “No Country for Old Men” is a winner.
‘No Country for Old Men’
*****
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Rated R for strong graphic violence and some language
Running time: 121 minutes
