By Noah Redfield
It is safe to say that the Coen Brothers are two of the finest artists working in American cinema today. After all, they have brought us beloved films such as “Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” But after two dismal comedies in a row-“Intolerable Cruelty” and “The Ladykillers”-it looked as thought Joel and Ethan had lost the plot entirely.
Now they’re back and with a vengeance. “No Country For Old Men” is not only their best film since “Fargo,” it’s also a strong contender for the best film of the year.
Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, the film tells the story of Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a Vietnam veteran who discovers a pile of dead bodies, a truckload of heroin and over $2 million in cash out in the desert. Seeing the opportunity of a lifetime, he takes the money, and finds himself targeted by Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a psychotic freelancer hired to recover the money and kill Moss. Meanwhile, Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) follows the trail of violence, trying to find and protect Moss before it’s too late.
As far as adaptations go, “No Country For Old Men” is among the most faithful ever made. The plot hasn’t been changed at all, virtually every line of dialogue has been lifted from the book and the characters are true to McCarthy’s vision. But the atmosphere is all the Coen’s, and it recalls their debut, “Blood Simple,” a low-budget film noir also set in Texas in which the main characters struggle to survive in a godless world plagued with the most brutal violence possible. But fear not, “Lebowski” fans: this movie is funny, too.
The cast is extraordinary, something one can always expect from a Coen Brothers’ film. Bardem’s performance is worth all the hype it’s getting. He plays the most chilling villain seen in years, a force of nature who brings death and destruction everywhere he goes. Brolin plays Moss with conviction and sensitivity; his character makes countless mistakes and the fact that he can’t see them makes his story all the more tragic. Jones holds it all together as the wise old lawman, providing the film with its heart and soul but avoiding sentimentality and self-righteousness at all costs.
One must also give credit to the terrific supporting cast who will sadly be overlooked come awards season, including Kelly Macdonald (Trainspotting) as Moss’ wife and Woody Harrelson as a sinister bounty hunter hired to find the money before Chigurh does.
Casual filmgoers will be put off by the film’s ambiguous structure and its deliberately anti-Hollywood ending but those with an open mind will embrace it for the risks it takes and the themes it explores.
There really isn’t anything wrong with “No Country For Old Men.” The book is better, but that is to be expected. The cinematography is stunning, the editing is fiercely thrilling and the use of sound is haunting.
This isn’t just a film to watch and enjoy; it’s a film one should absorb like a sponge and let it seep into the consciousness-a unique experience that every serious film fan should discover.

Josh Brolin takes on the role of Llewelyn Moss, a vet who finds himself in a particularly difficult situation, made more so when Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones are on his tail. (AllMoviePhotos.com)