by Beth Dobbs

Created on: July 10, 2008

Unfortunately this is one of those movies whose hype completely overwhelmed the movie itself. The shock factor of a gay romance became the headline. People were up in arms and either seeing or avoiding the film based entirely on the gender of the actors who were romantically involved in it.

Fortunately the quality of the film shines above and beyond any press-circulated drama. Ang Lee shows the same delicate beauty as in Sense and Sensibility, weaving a romance that is anything but romantic while both Heath Ledger (as Ennis Del Mar) and Jake Gyllenhal (as Jack Twist) give heart-wrenchingly real performances. Heath Ledger got most of the buzz for his understated, beautiful turn as Ennis, but Jake Gyllenhal is every bit his match in terms of talent. Gyllenhal shows a perfect mixture of charismatic warmth and passion that makes it easy to see why Ennis couldn't just turn Jack away.

Any factor of titillation from the subject matter quickly takes a back seat to the story itself. Amy Proulx's heart-wrenching short story is adapted beautifully for the medium. Little is changed in terms of the story itself, and viewers are treated to a movie that is wonderfully subtle. Amidst an ever-growing sea of films that seek to push the boundaries in terms of sex and violence, Brokeback Mountain focuses its attention inward. Instead of dramatic fight scenes and car chases, viewers are rewarded with a gentle, quiet story that is all the more powerful because of its softness. For that very reason, viewers looking for something that moves at a breakneck pace or offers the kind of spectacle that the controversy around the film suggests will be sorely disappointed. The pace of the movie is an ambling country stroll and not a sprint. This is certain in its favor and entirely appropriate to the story being told, but it won't work for everyone.

Every actor gives his or her all, from Randy Quaid as a bigoted boss to Michelle Williams as Ennis' suffering wife. Anne Hathaway is beautiful and uncharacteristically down and dirty as Jack's wife. If any one idea typifies the movie it is that no one is perfect and no situation is perfect. All too often in movies we see characters drifting through situations and coming out with only the most clich of issues after passing through the fire. In Brokeback, we see real emotional burns on the souls of the characters involved. The audience is at once enthralled and uncomfortable because it is all too easy to see the characters as real people with real, human reactions.

Don't let any article or reviewer tell you what to feel about this film. Only the coldest of hearts won't react on some level. The movie is a journey in and of itself, and if you have the energy to make it through a rough ride of a movie, this is one for the books.

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