DVD Review: No Country for Old Men

By Brendon Lindsey
Tags: Academy Awards, Anton Chigurh, book to film adaptation, Coen brothers, Cormac McCarthy, DVD review, No Country for Old Men, Oscar winner, overrated, Tommy Lee Jones

If you watch movies or ever talk to people who do, chances are at some point or another someone you know has mentioned No Country for Old Men as one of their favorite movies from last year. The Best Picture winning movie certainly had a head of steam leading up to the Oscars, in no small part due to the fact the Coen Brothers are responsible for it.

The film is about a man who happens to find a suitcase with $2 million in cash at a scene where a drug deal has gone wrong. Like most people in that situation, the man (Llewelyn Moss) takes it. Finding one of them still alive, Moss leaves him for dead and heads home, until his conscience gets the best of him, forcing him to return to the scene to bring water to the dying man. Unfortunately, doing this alerts the surviving dealers of his existence, and the fact he has their money.

The dealers then hire Anton Chigurh to track down Moss and take him out. Using a captive bolt pistol, Chigurh begins a trek through Texas and into Mexico, filled with death and destruction. While Chigurh is on the trail of Moss, Moss’s wife flees to Odessa, to await for her husband. There she meets nearly-retired sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who vows to help Moss.

Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel, the Coens do a good job of adapting his material to film. (Much better than Billy Bob did in the past, at least.) It’s certainly an odd film to watch (and equally hard to describe), but a powerful one nonetheless. The use of silence in the movie is a testament to how well the Coens understand their craft; rarely do you see any film using silence to this degree pull it off so damn well.

Unfortunately, the movie tapers off in the third act. While the first two-thirds are some of the best I’ve seen in years, the latter half (especially the ending) deliver a blow to the movie-watching psyche much like Chigurh’s murder weapon. Admittedly I’ve never read the McCarthy novel it’s based on, but that shouldn’t stop me from liking the ending, and the fact is I just plain didn’t. It almost completely ruins the first two-thirds of the film, and in my mind (and my opinion) really brings down the quality of the overall picture.

Is No Country a good movie? Yes. Is it great? Not really. It’s no surprise it was nominated for Best Picture given all of the critical hype it received (it’s really one of those movies critics HAVE to praise or they’ll look stupid), but it shouldn’t have won. In my mind, a certain milkshake drinking nominee should have taken home the Oscar. Still, you could do much worse than No Country if you’re looking to have a night in at the movies. On the other hand, despite the cover’s proclamation, you could do better as well.
CONTENT - 3.5/5

I remember growing up and going to Lakers games where the crowd would chant “OVER-RATED!” every time Kobe touched the ball. This feels the same way. Is No Country a good movie? Yes. The best of 2007? Not by a longshot. It’s a movie people will like or hate for its own merits, and even more will like because they’re supposed to. I fully expect to be flamed for my views, by the way, so have at you.

VIDEO - 5/5

Despite my reservations about the film, there’s no questioning that the Coens are masters of camera work. The gritty look of the film, the scenery, and the presentation are awesome, especially when combined with the great transfer job. This will look amazing on your SD or HD, and that’s what DVDs should do: look good for everyone.

AUDIO - 3/5

It’s not often silence is a lead player in the audio of a movie, but when done right silence truly is golden. The rest of the movie features some nice 5.1 work, and although it’s nothing breathtaking, the silence followed by the sound behind you really makes you feel like you’re in the movie. Just watch out for people that have the whole “sort of like a lesbian haircut” that Anton has in real life, because you’ll probably be terrified of them if they sneak up on you.

EXTRAS - 3/5

The Coens are never known for their DVD extras. Working With the Coens and the Making Of provide some nice looks into the process of the film, but compared to other titles the extras are relatively sparse. Then again, no fan of the Coens should expect anything different; it’s just how they roll.

REPLAY - 4/5

Even if it’s not an amazing movie, the value and presentation — as well as the few key performances such as Anton and the Sheriff — are fantastic, and will likely be watched again. Plus this DID win Best Picture, so you’re likely going to have friends that want to watch it when they come over and see it on the shelf.

OVERALL - 4/5

The movie itself may be overrated, but it’s still a good movie, and one of the Coens’ better works. Is it perfect? Not really. Is it as awesome as people say it is? Again, not really. Is it enjoyable? You bet. (Until the last third, that is, at which point you’ll probably go “What the fuck!?”)

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