Brokeback Mountain
Directed by: Ang Lee
Screenplay by: Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana

Two young men, played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, camped out on a mountain for the summer while watching cows. This story was set in the 1960’s, when homosexuality was deeply frowned on. Though they were secretly in love with each other, they had to be discreet about it, choosing to marry women, have families, and sneak out to see each other, calling their outings “fishing trips.”

As the years went on, the men’s wives eventually figured out what was going on and were disappointed. They realized that throughout the entire time, it was said that every fish was caught and eaten, when the fishing poles and tackle boxes had not even been used. One man became disconnected from his family, later reuniting with his daughter right before her marriage.

This was a long movie, lasting more than two hours, but it felt much longer. At times, it was confusing, such as when one man had flashbacks to a previous scene when his father tried to “shield” his two young sons from homosexuality, and at the end when one was slain, and his wife covered it up by claiming it was actually an accidental tire explosion that took his life.

During the movie, there were some borderline risqué sexual acts occurring, both between the cowboys, and also their wives when they were in their respective homes. A couple times I almost dozed off, and another member of the audience was overheard saying, “After the first couple scenes, I fell asleep.”

One of the major “ups” to this tale was the fact that it felt realistic. Unfortunately, everyday people who seem “odd” or “different than the norm” are made to feel unsafe through insults, violence, etc. This movie showed the side of human behavior that most have either chosen to ignore or are too scared to portray in the mass media. It shone light on a very serious issue some people face each day, highlighting an important theme.

I would not recommend this movie to strict Christians, people with ADD or very short attention spans, or people prone to falling asleep in places other than beds. However, if you are a fan of cowboy movies, camping, coping with sexuality (which was well portrayed in this movie, I must admit), or just need a couple hours off from your hectic life to see some movie mountains with friends, you might consider renting “Brokeback Mountain” once it comes out on DVD.

Written by: SL

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