Do you have an author who just speaks to you in a unique way?
The voice that a writer possesses is one of the most important tools at their disposal. The best writers speak directly to the reader in a poignant way. Whether it is humor, flow, vocabulary, and overall storytelling, a writer can do so much with the words on a page. Some just write so beautifully and vividly that the story leaps off the page into the mind of the reader. But sometimes that beauty is wrapped around the darkest and most despair. No author can create this balance quite like Cormac McCarthy. His writings are dense and vivid in ways few writers can compete with. His stories are dark and challenge his readers to look at the darkest in humanity.
Which of his novels speaks mostly to me?
No Country for Old Men. I remember sitting on Rider’s campus a few years back on my breaks and reading it. The descriptions are so vivid and yet so brutal as they materialize the brutish nature of killers in our society. This is a story of men doing what they need to do based on their own codes and perspectives. A resourceful veteran, a sociopathic hired killer, and an aging sheriff who just might not have much left in the tank. The collision course between these characters is ripe with tension and themes that will penetrate you deeply. Sitting out on a bench, the sun in the sky, a nice breeze off the lake, and a beautiful view in front of me set the stage for one of my favorite reading experiences I have had. Each sentence is so rich in literary excellence. Not going to lie…every word of every monologue spoken by Sheriff Tom Bell came to life in my head in the deep and sassy draw of Tommy Lee Jones. Reading this book which gave birth to one of my favorite films was a special experience.
But how did I first come upon this film which would become one of my favorite films of all time?
It was the summer between my freshman year and sophomore year of college. At my grandparent’s house, we would occasionally get free trials for premium movie channels like Encore. We just so happened to have this trial and I walked in on my brother and his friend watching this movie. I had never heard of it. I had only been introduced to the Coen Brothers that year during my first semester of college. I saw this film that looked like a modern western. Texas skies and deserts. Cowboy hats, horses, and outlaws. This film had it all. This lawless world is where an aging lawman could only do his best to stop evil and danger. The film was probably halfway over but I was hooked. Something about the film was alluring and fascinating. This film played out like a story I had never seen before.
What did the Coen Brothers do to bring this iconic novel to life?
From what I heard…one brother read the book aloud and the other typed it into a script. Was this exactly how it happened? If it didn’t…I don’t want to know the truth. Just the way that McCarthy’s words come to life in the film is so impressive. With such great dialogue, why try to reinvent them? They only adapted one of the many monologues of Sheriff Bell but the opening one creates one of the greatest opening narrations in film. This just sets the tone from the start. Speaking of tone, the Coens know exactly how to bring the spirit of the novel to life. The Coens have their share of straight comedies, but they can get serious. But none of their other films bite so caustically as No Country of Old Men. The darkness that permeates this story is so true to the novel. But there are some great moments of sly and biting humor that fit perfectly in McCarthy’s story and the Coens’ style.
But what made me fall in love with this film the most?
The visual storytelling and cinematic atmosphere of the film. There is so much great dialogue in McCarthy’s novel and in turn the film but some of the best moments just might be when there is silence. Characters do not need to be spouting zingers or monologues at all times. The tension speaks for itself. The impressive amount of detail and care that goes into every shot is poignant and powerful. The Coens have proven time and time again that they can create looming and towering tension. The way they work the camera that looms and holds uncomfortably upon fearful humans and the right images will create so many brutal ideas to come.
Who is the partner in crime of the Coens on this one?
Roger Deakins. Is he one of the greatest cinematographers of all time? Hands down yes. The way he plays with the lighting and shadows is masterful. The starkness of the world in McCarthy’s story is bleak and hopeless. You need the right artist to create this world where these characters and themes can bury deep and grow into this iconic story. There are so many iconic shots throughout this film that capture the hate, brutality, and unstoppable forces of the world around us. The most shocking shot must be Anton Chigurh (our unstoppable entity of evil) tearing a young deputy’s throat apart with his handcuffs. The evil in Javier Bardem’s eyes and the release of pleasurable tension in just…creepy. Deakins will hold strong on shots of keyholes, small objects, and subtleties that evoke great storytelling without showing too much brutality as well as building tension of what will come. The combination of Coens and Deakin’s efforts is what creates such an evocative visual experience and such a poignant drama and thrills.
What about the actors that bring this film to life?
Jones is the key to the whole show. If we cannot resonate with this sheriff who is desperately trying to keep this crazy world together, we would never connect with the largest themes and ideas of the story. His world-weariness is pitch-perfect for such a character. He tells it like it is and does it his way. Jones sells that in every line delivery, and acting choice, both large and small. He also gets quite a few chuckles out of the audience with his wry sense of humor and the caustic sass that he throws around. We feel his pain and empathize with the dread he feels in the face of this world closing around him. We feel that more than ever in the final scene where Tom Bell expresses his dreams in the face of a directionless future.
But what do you need from your antagonist in the face of such a relatable and vulnerable hero?
Bardem is perfection. This is one of the greatest villains ever put to screen and Barden is by far the largest reason why. Chigurh is evil incarnate. He moves through the world with only his purpose in mind and his actions are cold and calculating at every turn. Barden provides this character with a sense of bubbling tension and malice. Each grin has so much venom and evil behind them. His eyes burn through your soul and inject fear into your whole body. The disturbing haircut is even skin-crawling and fear-inducing. Barden’s deep and intimidating voice bellows malice through the film as he penetrates every human being he interacts with. Chigurh is a predator who needs the right prey.
Who becomes the prey to this vicious beast?
You need a rugged and proud figure who will put up a fight. This force needs to exist to create this great conflict in McCarthy’s story. Josh Brolin is the right actor to bring this Vietnam vet on the hunt to life. The book version comes off a bit younger, but Brolin makes Llewelyn a threat himself. His good heart and risky behavior puts him at odds with Chigurh opening up a fantastic cat-and-mouse game (one of the best ever put to film). Llewelyn is quite resourceful and is able to make it a long way avoiding the specter of death. Brolin is steely and intense while also able to flick and crack a joke at times. His presence is felt in every scene and he is a man we can get behind.
But who are the unsung heroes of No Country for Old Men?
The minor characters are sprinkled throughout. The Coens know how to pepper in memorable characters, unlike any other directors. Kelly McDonald, Woody Harrelson, Garret Dillahunt, and Stephen Root are great performers who all find some great work in this film. But let’s focus on those actors who you have never seen before but steal the scenes they are in. First off, Gene Jones is the Gas Station Proprietor who gets the incredible scene with Barden. This sequence is so intimidating but Jones is so genuine we connect with him immediately and want to see him make it out. His references to closing time are hilarious as Barden intimidates with his coin toss. Kathy Lamkin is a sassy queen as the Desert Aire Manager. Her staunch stubbornness and need for rules are a smack in the face of Chigurh. She shows no fear in the face of one of cinema’s most intimidating figures. Thomas Kopache is fun and aloof as the Boot Salesman who banters with Brolin a few instances. Brandon Smith is a gruff and stern INS Official as he grumbles with Brolin as he tries to make it back into the USA. Those are only a few of the memorable character actors who fill out this film.
Why is this film so satisfying?
No Country for Old Men is just so challenging. The Coens know how to subvert your expectations with Sheriff Tom Bell finding the recently murdered Llewelyn Moss. He died off-screen! What films do that to their “protagonists”? This film shows the fleetingness of life and the brutality of existence. McCarthy and the Coens had one mission to show the forces in life that we humans have no control over. Llewelyn’s brutal and shocking fate is the perfect way to convey this. But the most frustrating occurrence is the ending. I remember back to my first viewing and hating the ending. 19-year-old Shane never understood it. Honestly, 31-year-old Shane might not fully understand it either. I am not old enough and have not lived enough life to fully understand what Tom Bell is going through at that moment. This existential crisis that this now retired sheriff is poignant. His dream about seeing his father is haunting and Jones kills it with his storytelling. That hard edit to black gives me chills even thinking about it. This might be one of the most divisive endings of all time but it is the perfect end to a challenging film like this.
Why do I always find my way back to No Country for Old Men?
Each time I watch it, I am a bit older and a bit closer to this harrowing and dark perspective on the world. There are new layers thematically and character-wise that open to me with every new viewing. The more I watch the film and fall in love with the art form, the more I find the technical achievements and storytelling astounding. There is a reason this won Best Picture and why it instantly became a modern classic. This just might be the grand achievement of the Coens’ career.
