No Country for Old Men

Quote of the day:
"One should either be sad or joyful. Contentment is a warm sty for eaters and sleepers."
--Eugene O'Neill

Neither Merrie nor I fell asleep during “No Country for Old Men.” I don’t think it’s possible.

It’s definitely a Coen brpthers film, with echoes of “Fargo” and “Miller’s Crossing,” and it often feels very similar to “Blood Simple.” The major characters are very closely followed, and sometimes there is a minutely-observed moment. Kinda like real life.

But this is their most-substantial movie so far.

The plot is almost-Hitchcockian in its building suspense. A man (Josh Brolin) stumbles on a drug deal gone bad and takes a suitcase full of money. People on both sides of the deal give chase, as does a timeworn sheriff, played in great glory by Tommy Lee Jones.

As involving as this story is, it is just a piece of what is going on. This is also a rich portrait of a time and place, and a careful study of how human beings deal with circumstances.

Most curiously, it’s also an in-your-face meditation on good and evil. I guarantee it’s unlike any such mediation you’ve ever encountered.

Jones will likely get an Oscar nomination for his role here, as will Javier Bardem, who is truly extraordinary. I will be thinking about his performance for a long, long time.