No Country For Old Men
No Country For Old Men seems to have been just unpleasant enough to garner critical attention. The film had its points (few, but sharp), and while I don't begrudge it a few laurels (the Coen brothers doubtless need encouragement too), I do think it represents a relatively minor contribution to the Coen canon, and will fade over time in ways that, e.g., Miller's Crossing and The Big Lebowsky will not. I can only hope that the garnering of prizes doesn't discourage the Coen brothers from striking out in new directions. My principal objection to this film is that it tells a tale that had been told before (by the Coen brothers, no less) and doesn't need retelling (this should not be interpreted as a statement about the relevance of Cormac McCarthy's book, which I haven't read but have heard is superb.) At heart, No Country For Old Men is a tale of brutal deeds committed by brutal men, formally interlarded with brief visions of humanity, beleaguered and outma...