David O'ConnellThree Burials
October 1st 2008 04:01
Tommy Lee Jones stars both behind and in front of the camera in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, a mournful, brooding epic of the land, centering on that wavering moral line between revenge and redemption.
From a screenplay by Guillermo Arriaga, so lauded in his collaborations with director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel), it stars Jones as Pete Perkins, a ranch foreman in small-town Texas who feels compelled to honour the wishes of his Mexican friend Melquiades (Julio Cedillo) after he is found shot dead; his friend pleaded with him that should fate intervene and he happened to die on the American side of the border, Pete would see to it that his body is returned to his family in Mexico for burial.
The screenplay is certainly of a piece with Arriaga’s past work in that it’s structured in a non-linear fashion for the first half, flashbacks interspersed with the integral stories in the present: those of Pete, Melquiades, and border patrolman Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) who will fire the fatal shot that claims Melquiades’ life.
After determining the identity of his friend’s killer, Pete takes charge of Norton at gunpoint and they begin the interminable, torturous journey by horseback over the border with the dug-up body of Melquiades in tow.
The slow, measured pace will be off-putting to some viewers but I loved this film, from the grizzled weighty presence of Jones as the determined Pete, to the meticulous cinematography of the great Chris Menges (The Killing Fields, The Mission, Michael Collins, The Pledge), whose keen eye conjures all the harshness and vibrancy of the dry dustbowls around these people; there were a couple of shots I wanted to remove from the screen and just hang on my wall.
There's a ghoulish aspect to their journey as well with the deteriorating corpse exposed to the elements, Pete reduced to a few drastic measures to keep it from total disrepair (including the imaginative use of coolant and then matches to set the head alight to rid it of hungry ants!)
The finale provides one major surprise but seems perfect in its simplicity and is beautifully handled by Jones as director who manages to keep a tight reign on any extravagances throughout which might have derailed the film’s naturalistic feel.
The gaunt, skeletal Pepper is excellent as the patrolman taken against his will, tormented by his actions in the stress of a fateful moment. January Jones as his bored, disconnected wife, Melissa Leo as a waitress and mistress of Pete and others, and Dwight Yoakam as a police officer are all excellent in support.
Marco Beltrami’s score is sparingly used and applied with a subtle touch, his understated compositions never falling into the trap of mimicking the Morricone-esque soundscapes which, traditionally, seem most befitting for a film set in the desert. His unique orchestrations include the use of cactus needles and other unconventional sounds.
For those with enough patience to soak up the sobering weight of this 110 minute odyssey, the rewards will be rich, with Tommy Lee Jones the film’s compass and guiding light - for it's his Pete Perkins who is the story's encapsulation of redemption and dignity for a simple friend who has nobody else in the world to speak for him in death.
A trailer:
Listen to Marco Beltrami's brilliant opening titles:
From a screenplay by Guillermo Arriaga, so lauded in his collaborations with director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel), it stars Jones as Pete Perkins, a ranch foreman in small-town Texas who feels compelled to honour the wishes of his Mexican friend Melquiades (Julio Cedillo) after he is found shot dead; his friend pleaded with him that should fate intervene and he happened to die on the American side of the border, Pete would see to it that his body is returned to his family in Mexico for burial.
The screenplay is certainly of a piece with Arriaga’s past work in that it’s structured in a non-linear fashion for the first half, flashbacks interspersed with the integral stories in the present: those of Pete, Melquiades, and border patrolman Mike Norton (Barry Pepper) who will fire the fatal shot that claims Melquiades’ life.
After determining the identity of his friend’s killer, Pete takes charge of Norton at gunpoint and they begin the interminable, torturous journey by horseback over the border with the dug-up body of Melquiades in tow.
Melquiades shares memories and a crucial photo with Pete
The slow, measured pace will be off-putting to some viewers but I loved this film, from the grizzled weighty presence of Jones as the determined Pete, to the meticulous cinematography of the great Chris Menges (The Killing Fields, The Mission, Michael Collins, The Pledge), whose keen eye conjures all the harshness and vibrancy of the dry dustbowls around these people; there were a couple of shots I wanted to remove from the screen and just hang on my wall.
There's a ghoulish aspect to their journey as well with the deteriorating corpse exposed to the elements, Pete reduced to a few drastic measures to keep it from total disrepair (including the imaginative use of coolant and then matches to set the head alight to rid it of hungry ants!)
January Jones as Norton's bored wife Lou Ann
The finale provides one major surprise but seems perfect in its simplicity and is beautifully handled by Jones as director who manages to keep a tight reign on any extravagances throughout which might have derailed the film’s naturalistic feel.
The gaunt, skeletal Pepper is excellent as the patrolman taken against his will, tormented by his actions in the stress of a fateful moment. January Jones as his bored, disconnected wife, Melissa Leo as a waitress and mistress of Pete and others, and Dwight Yoakam as a police officer are all excellent in support.
Tough times for captured prisoner Norton (Barry Pepper)
Marco Beltrami’s score is sparingly used and applied with a subtle touch, his understated compositions never falling into the trap of mimicking the Morricone-esque soundscapes which, traditionally, seem most befitting for a film set in the desert. His unique orchestrations include the use of cactus needles and other unconventional sounds.
For those with enough patience to soak up the sobering weight of this 110 minute odyssey, the rewards will be rich, with Tommy Lee Jones the film’s compass and guiding light - for it's his Pete Perkins who is the story's encapsulation of redemption and dignity for a simple friend who has nobody else in the world to speak for him in death.
A trailer:
Listen to Marco Beltrami's brilliant opening titles:
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Comment by Jarrah
Back to the Eighties
tommy lee at his best
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I loved this flick too...a fantastic extension of 70's style cinema like Peckinpah's Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia...it almost serves as a compendium to No Country for Old Men and John Sayles Lone Star
Comment by Jarrah
Back to the Eighties
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
TLJ's best performance, eh? Better than "Under Siege"? Kidding...
Comment by Cheryl J
Rhythmatism
Zentertainment
Budget Centsability
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
You're a bit harsh on There Will Be Blood Jarrah! But I understand how some people might find it a bit tedious, the performance by Daniel Day-Lewis probably outshined the film itself.
Thanks Cheryl, I can't think of many better performances by Tommy, his dour style is so suited to films like this.
You may be onto something there Cib! How could I have forgotten his immortal contribution to Under Siege........................ .......not to mention Black Moon Rising or that incredible tour de force in Man of the House!!!! (;
Seriously though, I'm very much looking forward to his next film in which he's portraying one of my favourite characters in all of literature - Dave Robicheaux from James Lee Burke's continually brilliant series of crime novels set in Louisiana. He seems like a perfect fit, I hope the film - In the Electric Mist - does it justice. I'm really hanging out for that one!
Comment by Jarrah
Back to the Eighties
I cant stand him in those action films etc. He definitely shines on those low key, quiet but complex characters.
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
You're right, Jones never messes up with these brooding, internalised roles.
However, like all actors I suppose, he's made a few dodgy choices over the years.