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| December 1, 2005 | Send features
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Movie Review
Cowboy Secrets
Actors keep audience enthralled
with controversial love
By Kayla
Murillo
The Shorthorn staff
Brokeback Mountain breaks the barriers of the strong-and-rugged
cowboy stereotype.
Heath Ledger, playing Ennis, creates a cowboy the audience will
love toward the end of the movie. Ledger’s stern face fools
viewers into thinking he’s unable to express freely his feelings
toward Jack (Gyllenhaal); however, timely scenes and Ledger’s
fine acting reveal a soft-natured Western boy.
Gyllenhaal quickly kidnaps the attention with his lovable character,
whose sensitivity often leads to him being heartbroken.
Both actors succeed in developing a modern love story. Their performances
captivate the audience as the two try to express their forbidden
love for each other. The cowboys not only deal with the issues of
being a gay couple in a closed-minded West, but of two lovers trying
to make a relationship work.
The characters’ chemistry enthralls viewers and keeps their
eyes on the screen throughout the movie.
Despite numerous love scenes, Ledger and Gyllenhaal remain sexy
heartthrobs to female viewers.
Larry McMurtry, co-producer and co-writer, succeeds again at making
a realistic Western film. Author of Lonesome Dove, McMurtry proves
he’s truly talented at reproducing the West. The landscape
beautifully portrays Texas and Wyoming, where most of the movie
is set. The numerous shots of the land draws the audience into understanding
how valuable the environment is to the two cowboys.
However enjoyable and wonderful the movie is, it is not meant for
a conservative audience.
At many points in the movie, some will wish to close their eyes
or simply walk out of the theater; however, the open-minded viewers
who choose to stay will not be disappointed.
The movie mesmerizes viewers right up to the last few seconds. In
the end, the only word left to describe the movie will be, “Wow.”
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BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath
Ledger, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway
Director: Ang Lee
Ranking: 4 1/2
Stars
on a 1-5 scale
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