No Country for Old MenStarring Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Kelly MacDonald, and Woody Harrelson
Precise, pestilent and perfect. "No Country for Old Men" lures its watcher in close and bites him from behind. In the year's masterpiece to top, the Coen brothers adeptly create a beautiful, shocking film full of breathtaking cinematography, quick dialogue, characters that are both paramount and futile, and thrills that go beyond the genre of a thriller.
Set in 1980 Texas, we follow three braided storylines: Llewellyn Moss (Josh Brolin) and his wife Carla Jean (Kelly MacDonald), Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), and Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). The Moss' life revolves around getting past the next bill, but when Llewellyn comes across a drug-gang battlefield, he also falls upon a case of two million dollars - it's actually the same case and amount as the money case in "Fargo," the Coen Brothers previous work of perfection. Sheriff Bell is after the psychopathic lunatic Chigurh, who, on occasion, flips a coin to determine whether you're going to die or not.
Every second of this movie is beyond expectation, and every decision of film-making is beyond predictability. 
Jones adds to his 2007 repertoire ("In the Valley of Elah") with another well-defined performance. The role of Carla Jean is any understated actresses dream of playing, and MacDonald quietly delivers an unbelievable display of female rigidity, particularly her final scene which is beyond perfection and could earn her many nominations for supporting actress. Brolin commits to the performance of his lifetime. He and his character are unstoppably determined and risky, but the buzz and praise has to go to Bardem. He is so eerily calm as the psychotic mass murderer that chills run down your spine every time he graces the screen. There are scenes so grueling and terrifying that your heart begins to race while his is strangely in tune. He is fantastic and will win the Oscar.
Jones adds to his 2007 repertoire ("In the Valley of Elah") with another well-defined performance. The role of Carla Jean is any understated actresses dream of playing, and MacDonald quietly delivers an unbelievable display of female rigidity, particularly her final scene which is beyond perfection and could earn her many nominations for supporting actress. Brolin commits to the performance of his lifetime. He and his character are unstoppably determined and risky, but the buzz and praise has to go to Bardem. He is so eerily calm as the psychotic mass murderer that chills run down your spine every time he graces the screen. There are scenes so grueling and terrifying that your heart begins to race while his is strangely in tune. He is fantastic and will win the Oscar.Though there are still a handful of movies to see this year, "No Country for Old Men" tops the list so far. It's an instant classic and an instant favorite.
Grade: A+
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