No Country for Old Men

After stumbling upon a drug deal gone bad in the desert, a man (Josh Brolin) takes a satchel full of money, unaware that a hit man (Javier Bardem) is on its trail.

No Country for Old Men may be the Coen brothers’ best movie so far.

I say “so far” because I think No Country for Old Men represents a kind of milestone for the Coens. They seem to have reached a point in their filmmaking where they’re confident enough in their style that they no longer need to emphasize it. Nor do they downplay it either. No Country for Old Men has the usual quirks you’d expect in a Coen brothers film; they’re just not front and center, instead they’re more matter-of-fact.

Much of the credit undoubtedly belongs to Cormac McCarthy, whose novel provided the basis for the script, though kudos must be given to the Coens for drafting such a faithful screenplay. Their willingness to diverge from the standard Hollywood formula is a large part of what makes the film so satisfying.

No Country for Old Men is several films in one. On the surface it’s the story of an everyman trying to get away with a satchel full of money, but beneath that it’s the story of the passing of time and the changes it brings, and beneath that it’s a story about causality and the nature of fate. That the film works so well on each of these levels is a testament to its greatness.

As for the cast, it’s flawless. Tommy Lee Jones seems natural as a haunted, aging Sherriff, Javier Bardem is terrifying as an enigmatic hit man, and Josh Brolin anchors the entire story as a believable everyman who can’t walk away. Surrounding them is an outstanding supporting cast including Woody Harrelson (in his best role in years), Kelly Macdonald, and Barry Corbin.