Sadness, Pt. III

WARNING Don't read this post if you don't want to know what happens in the movie...

Last night I went with J and Manda to see Brokeback Mountain. Let me preface this by saying that I HATE sad movies. However, this one was a bit different.

It was a beautifully made movie (as is anything directed by Ang Lee). The acting was very good and the scenery was beautiful. Now onto the story...

The movie starts with two "cowboys" who are paired up to herd sheep for a summer. One cold night (isn't that how it always is?) they are "forced" into sharing a tent. Of course, you can't have two drunk and lonely guys asleep in a tent without someone sportin' wood. Needless to say, this goes on for the rest of the summer and the two are left going their separate ways.

Here's where things get really deep...Their parting stirs up a tempest of emotions. The tougher of the two even scurried off to an alley and collapses in tears and nausea. He looks utterly heart-broken. I remember years ago, being in a long distance relationship and feeling just that way every time my man had to leave. This really brought back memories.

A few years go by for the boys and the both marry and have children, but their longing for each other brings them back together eventually for the occasional "fishing trip" to the mountain, a place where they can feel free. The one cowboy offers that they ditch their wives and build a cabin in the woods together, but the tough-guy doesn't go for that (As a child, he'd seen the results of a man brutally beaten for such a thing.) So, it continues only as the occasional romp in the woods. Each wanting more, but never quite getting there.

This is not a fairytale: The heroes aren't together in the end. They don't go riding off into the sunset. Love doesn't overcome all obstacles. This is life. It's about two people longing for something that they feel that they can't have.

I won't give the whole story away, but it was a real tear-jerker in the end for me. Well, it wasn't until I saw the two shirts together that I really lost it.

"I wish I knew how to quit you!"

Sad...very...truly...sad...

Now, for a little critique: The movie was well made, like I said, except for the love scenes. There is one seemingly painful romp in a tent, which is shot very dark (appropriately because of the situation), but then you never see them "together" again. You only see them cuddling a couple of times. There is ONE really hot make-out session. This would have been ok, but then they had to show the guys screwin' their wives...and show the wives' tits. Was that necessary??? We didn't see any dick shots, so why should they show us tits? Oh well, I guess it's a big step for the mainstream, so I should probably shut my mouth. But, no. I just think that if they could shoot the guys' sex scene in a way that you can't see anything then they should have had the same courtesy for the women. Balance things here people!

Otherwise, I think this thing should win some awards. It was a truly beautiful movie worthy of praise.

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