Brokeback Mountain...

[fajrdrako]

I went to see Brokeback Mountain yesterday with lmondegreen. Gay cowboys. lmondegreen made me laugh when she said, "This is the same theatre where we saw that other gay cowboy movie, An Unfinished Life.

When I had heard that they were making a movie of Brokeback Mountain, the Annie Proulx story, I though they felt they could make it because it's so sad - the old dictum that you can write about gay characters as long as they don't get a happy ending. I also thought they would cop out, that it would be like Alexander, where he never even kissed his lover Hephaistion but exchanged tender looks and gentle hugs.

But hey - this time they did it right. They did it right. Plenty of naked cowboy passion and they didn't try to tame it and that's good.

What really astounds me is the good reviews, the way the movie is being treated as a respectable mainstream movie, taken seriously by critics and public alike, playing in major theatre chains. Hints of Oscar nominations. And it's an American movie. What happened? Has there been a slip in public perceptions? Why wasn't it marginalized like all the other gay-themed movies I've ever seen.

This all being said, did I really like the movie? Yes, but... with reservations. There were many things I didn't like about it, some of them shared by the book. One thing: beautiful mountain vistas. I've nothing against mountains, but every movie I've seen about Wyoming shows long panoramas of rugged mountain scenery. Trees. Rocks. More trees. More rocks. I have nothing against rocks and trees, but in storeytelling terms, this bores me.

Secondly, it has only one tone, thoughtful melancholy - though how much this is subjective, I'm not sure. Not much humour in it. Okay, that's Proulx's style, though they didn't mind deviating from her story in other ways. The movie is unequivocably sad and I've heard other fans say that it reawakened sad issues in their own lives. It certainly did for me. Identified just a little too much with Jack, wanting someone I couldn't have. I tried not to let it get to me.

Not much structure, though it's hardly the movie's fault I have a hang-up about structure. I didn't think the pacing changed much through the whole movie, and the odd scene where, say, Ennis lost his temper and attacked his ex-wife because whe was baiting him about Jack - that didn't quite succeed in raising the mood or the pacing.

As in the book, I liked Jack better than Ennis, because he had more courage. I thought it was interesting that the movie didn't give him mob connections, and there was the implication his death was a gay-bashing. It helps that Jake Gyllenhaal is damn cute, especially his smile. I wondered why I hadn't seen this man before and checked him out - it's because he's so young. All those teenage roles. I slip into Dirty Old Broad mode, unrepentant.

I wish I liked Heath Ledger more. He reminds me of my favourite cousin. You'd think that would make me like him, but... no.

I thought most of the ways they changed from the original story were unnecessary - adding Ennis' daughters, giving Jack a wife and in-laws. My two favourite bits were the same two scenes that were my favourites in the book: Ennis finding his long-lost shirt in Jack's closet, and Ennis' wife's note in the fishing tackle box.

No, wait, who am I trying to kid? My really favourite bit was when Jack and Ennis were kissing on the stairs when Jack came to visit him after four years. That was really hot.

I hope this movie spawns a whole genre of cowboy-love movies.

Comments

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen this yet but I had a coworker very excited to see it and though she thought it was good she was SO depressed when she left, she said she cried and she NEVER cries, which made me leary to see it in public. I prefer to see those kinds of films alone in my bed when I'm ready, lol.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I is depressing, I can't deny that. And it's depressing in a sort of unsentimental way, if that makes sense, so it's worse than something that's just sad. It would be a really, really bad movie to watch if you're suffering from depression. Luckily I've been in a really good mood for months - and it still brought me down. Briefly. For a while.

But I was still glad I saw it.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think she went in expecting 'Yay, cowboy sex, wee!!!' not realizing how heavy it would be. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'd be a lot happier about the general heaviness if we got some sort of relief in the end. But nooo, it just gets worse.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Ergh. Definite DVD watch, hehe.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

DVD with a box of kleenex.

[ifeelfinite.livejournal.com]

Err, in the story Ennis did have two daughters and Jack did have a wife named Lureen and a step-father who hated his guts. Those parts are exactly the same as in the book.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

How embarrassing - I'd forgotten them entirely! Okay, I retract those statements. I guess it's been a while since I read it and my memory is toast.

[ifeelfinite.livejournal.com]

;) The movie actually followed the book VERY VERY closely. I was so happy...they didn't leave out anything except tiny, tiny details (like Jack putting a runt puppy in his coat to keep it warm, awww). The added things had to be added because the book is, what, 30 pages long? XD I think they did a good job with the added parts - some of it I couldn't even tell and I had to go reread the book to see if it was in there or not! (and I've read it a billion times)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes - the movie was true to both the spirit and details of the story. I thought the characterizations were spot on.

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

I'm just never fond of movies with sad endings, but just to support any respectable mainstream effort with gay main characters, I might buy a ticket, but not actually watch the film. I really have to be in the right mood for anything depressing, and the more I hear about this movie, the more depressing it sounds. I think Nathan Lane's attitude sums it up best for me: "You're in the middle of nowhere! Get a ranch with the guy! Stop torturing these two poor women and get a room! What's the problem?"


Ahem. Yes, yes, we all realize the time in which the movie's set, etc, but, Jesus, a movie hammering home the msg that it's difficult for a gay couple to makee it work, or to even realize that it can be okay to have a long-term relationship? Depressing!

I think that's why it's being accepted to some degree. It shows sadness and heartache to be great big factors in a gay relationship.

Believe me, though, no Religious Right type people are seeing the movie.

I'd love to see demographics on who *is* seeing it; that could be intriguing.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

the more I hear about this movie, the more depressing it sounds.

Well, it is certainly a downer. As was the story it was based on. There's no riding into the sunset for these cowboys. They love, thy suffer, they make everyone who loves them suffer, then one of them dies and the survivor suffers even more. The dead one's last wishes aren't even respected - to have his ashes scattered on Brokeback Mountain. And it all feels excruciatingly realistic. Depressing? You bet.

Thos demographics would be interesting, wouldn't they? In the audience when we saw it I noticed several older (het) couples, and a few single younger people seeing it alone.

I think Nathan Lane's attitude sums it up best for me: "You're in the middle of nowhere! Get a ranch with the guy! Stop torturing these two poor women and get a room! What's the problem?"

Well, that's why I sympathized with Jack - that was what he wanted to do! But no, Ennis had to go and try to live a 'normal' life, which he defined as a straight life. Dumb.

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

But no, Ennis had to go and try to live a 'normal' life, which he defined as a straight life. Dumb.

Isn't that *just* like a man!

I agree with you on wanting future gay cowboy movies -- only some with *happy* outcomes.

Give me Big Eden any day over wrist-slashing stuff. ::g:: Realism is way overrated.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Realism is way overrated.

Especially when it's depressing realism.

Cowboys are very sexy. Bring 'em on.

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

Yes, ma'am!

Cavalry shirts and those cool duster coats with the extra capelet-thingy over the shoulders. Yum!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Besides, guys look good on horses. And in boots. And in jeans. Or out of them.