Brokeback Mountain Review

by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)
January 14th, 2006
"Brokeback Mountain" Exhibits a Daring Pass
by Homer Yen
(c) 2005

Ok, I've heard the critical accolades for this cinematographically beautiful film. And,
honestly, with the delicate subject material, who would openly come out to oppose this film?
Certainly not a professional. Certainly not a
paid critic. Certainly not a salaried person who wants to retain his job. Well, I'm not any of
those. I'm just (I'd like to think) an observant fellow who enjoys watching films whose opinion is simply that. It's just my opinion. And, my
opinion is that "Brokeback Mountain" seems like
any other story about forbidden love. Romeo and Juliet. Tristan & Isolde. And now two cowboys
named Ennis and Jack.

That's not to say that I disliked it. That's certainly not to say that I opposed the subject material. And, that's certainly not to say that
I would flail my arms warning people about some
of the risqué scenes that borders on violent sex
and unapologetic male-to-male kissing.
"Brokeback Mountain" ably showcases sympathetic
lead players, picturesque scenery, and tragic melodrama. But what's all the hubbub about?

The story takes place in Wyoming in 1963. We
meet the two players that will carry us through
the film. They are Ennis (Heath Ledger) who is a person that is so shy and of few words that he
would try to hide from his own shadow. And
there's Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is a little
bit more gregarious. He's tried rodeo. He's
possibly more experimental. They meet as
teenagers during a summer where they are both
hired to herd sheep through the mountains. This
is not the most exciting job. And with no one
else around, loneliness could set in. And when
weeks crawl by and whiskey overtakes your senses, unexpected things could happen.

When the two do get together, the sudden
occurrence is surprising. Up to that point, the
two spend hardly any time socializing or
speaking. The arc of their attraction never materialized. And yet, their union didn't seem
based on lust either. There is, however, an undeniable bond that develops between the two afterwards. However, this is a time period where same-sex attraction was considered an ultimate
taboo. Over the next decades, Ennis and Jack
will have to mask their relationship through
fishing trips in which they never catch any fish.

There are three subtexts at work here. One is
their inability to have their relationship
flourish given their time and place. Another is
how their illicit affair interferes with their respective home environment (Ennis and Jack each settle down and have kids). The third, which
could provide some emotional charge to the film, involves feelings of intolerance in that age.
They are all present to some degree. But none
are explored with enough depth to create a
greater amount of drama. The film moves along,
but with a solemnity that may test the patience
of many moviegoers.

I can admire the concept. I certainly respect
the acting. But the film lacked power. It
lacked passion. It failed to win me over. The
film seemed laborious. It could've just as
easily worked if they were just zealous friends.
As a love story, "Brokeback Mountain" is
partially daring, partially artsy, and partially peculiar.

Grade: C+

S: 2 out of 3
L: 1 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3

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