I'm an indie film fan as much as most of you are.

That being said, from the description of this movie showing at my local "Indie House" and the fact that it won a couple of awards at Cannes, I can pretty much determine this is just more libtard agenda being packaged for the liberal sheeple out there thirsty for that special flavor of kool-aid that only left wing Hollyweird can dispense.  

Poor illegal immigrant (aren't those two words used together kinda strange?  The word "immigrant" to me connotates legality, so to see those two words used together is confusing at best) Melquiades was only doing the ranch jobs that Americans didn't want to do.    That's why Tommy Lee Jones, himself now a lawbreaker for hiring this ILLEGALl ALIEN, hired him.  I'm sure that angle is completely ignored in the movie though.

I'm even willing to bet even money that the Border Patrol is portrayed as Rambo type, out of control, right-wing asshats in this film.

This Western tells a tale of senseless violence, with justice delayed just long enough to expose the absurd and humorous complexity of life. The setting is a west Texas town rife with double-crossing affairs and requisite deceit. Gruff local rancher Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones) hires an illegal immigrant, Melquiades Estrada (Julio Cesar Cedillo), and the two men quickly become friends. One night near the border, Melquiades is killed by Mike Norton (Barry Pepper), a jittery young border patrolman, who quickly covers up his crime. Nobody but Pete seems too concerned about Melquiades’ disappearance. But when two hunters find a coyote feasting on a human corpse in the desert, business as usual begins to unravel. Pete is enraged, and vows to take Melquiades’ body to his Mexican hometown for burial, forcing his murderer to come along on the journey. Far from a straightforward morality tale, the viewer gets to know all the characters well enough to accept them with their many flaws. Jones, a native of west Texas who filmed on his own ranch, directs with true insight into the human condition. Winner of two Cannes 2005 prizes, for best actor and best screenplay. R. 121 mins.

Guess I'll go see it tonight and confirm my suspicions.

Well, that was two hours of my life I would like back.

Stupid, stupid movie.

Gee the border patrol are fat, lazy, incompetant, trigger happy, hustler whacking psychos.  Small town Texas life consists of watching the tumbleweeds blow by between having affairs and bed-hopping all over town.  Bored?  Hook up with Tommy Lee Jones and his "immigrant" cow hand friend at the local hotel for some no-guilt sex.  The movie jumps around too much.  The first hour is maddeningly slow as the plot, if it can be called that, develops.  Character development is also slow and when early in the movie the "immigrant" meets his demise the viewer is hard pressed to really give a rats ass.  

The second hour of the movie is a bit more interesting in a morbid sense only because when some crazy Texan kidnaps a border patrol agent, digs up a corpse, and proceeds to transport both the corpse and kidnap victim across the rio INTO Mexico, how can that not be interesting?  Said corpse's dying wish was to be buried on the Mexican side of the border, so of course, Tommy Lee Jones must keep his promise.

With such SYMBOLISM oozing from the crappy script, it's no wonder that Cannes bestowed a few awards to this movie.  Meanwhile, everyone in Mexico is portrayed as friendly, wise, misunderstood and extremely helpful.  One has to wonder why, if life is such bliss there, that they are in such a dang hurry to jump the border and enter the insanity of America that this movie portrays.

The only standout performances were a supporting role by Dwight Yoakam as the impotent sheriff.  Dwights character enjoys bed hopping as much as the rest of the cast, but just can't get up for the task ....if you know what I mean.  The only other performance worthy of mention is the old blind desert rat who although he doesn't speak Spanish, whiles the day away listening to telemundo on the radio because he "likes the sound of Spanish."  Give me a fucking break.  The fact that he can deliver his lines with a straight face makes him worthy of at least an Oscar.

ARFCOM topics of interest: Coupla smokin hot Mexican babes shilling drinks and advice at the Cohilla version of speedy mart.  A very smart pathologist who was able to determine the make, model, and exact caliber of gun that fired the .224 bullet that killed the "immigrant."  Crime does not pay!

I give it 1 star (out of five)




 

get the "Motorcycle Diaries" and your indoctrination will be complete.

I had heard about this one and will definitely avoid it.  I like Tommy Lee Jones a whole lot, but that plot description is more than I can stand.

Yep, just reading a brief synopsis was enough to tell me this was a Blue State movie to be avoided.

"senseless violence"
"justice delayed"
"insight into the human condition."
"Winner of two Cannes 2005 prizes"


'nuff said, 4 strikes and you're out!.

Looking foward to watching the DVD.

Pepper, Yoakum, and Jones = must watch for me.