Sunday, March 09, 2008

No Country for Old Men (2008) ***1/2



Hard to argue whether No Country for Old Men really deserved the Oscar's best picture award.

The reasons why some critics hailed this latest Coen brothers' work were mixed. But the commonality of all the praises is the well-crafted and non-stereotypic style of making a thriller. However, could we expect to get more from this movie, other than styles and skills?

This movie certainly reminds us a lot of Coens' movie Fargo, another thriller set in a remote small town covered by snow in Minnesota. This time, the cold-blood killing occurred in Texas, near the border of Mexico. The filmmakers seemed to show little interest in dissecting the psychological complexities of the villains. Killings were just so real in these two movies as no dramatic prelude or music was attached. After all, violence speaks louder when the surroundings are quieter.

Anything else? I am afraid not.

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