Brokeback Mountain

[opera142]

I was prepared to be disappointed with the movie because in the book Ennis and Jack are NOT attractive, NOT lovey-dovey and NOT yay with the gay. Heath and Jake are attractive, still-shots seemed to show some lovey-dovey and who knows how much Hollywood decided to pretty-up the story.

The book is so gorgeously UNpretty. I felt like the author went to great pains to establish their unattractiveness-- the book begins with Ennis pissing in his kitchen sink, and in a fifty page story that covers 20+ years, Jack's buckteeth rated an entire paragraph. I felt like the author was trying to convince me that Ennis and Jack fell for each other for reasons beyond flesh. A deep friendship and respect was established way before the fucking ever started. In the movie, their getting together felt like "I'm tired of beans, how about we do some buggery."

The dialogue felt way more natural and urgent in the book-- in the movie, some the key lines felt like catchphrases. And I didn't like the dunderheaded way they handled Jack's relationship with foreman in Texas. In the book, Jack tells Ennis he's nailing the foreman's wife, and it's only after his death does the readers realize that Jack was actually with the foreman. And, I guess my interpetation of that was a good chunk of Ennis' sorrow came from realizing that he had lost Jack before he died.

Complaints aside, I loved the movie. All of Opera's buttons=pushed. Understatement. Check. Emotionally fucked-up guys who aren't going to say a damn word about it. Check. Those fucked-up, stoic characters put between a rock and hard place. Check. The rock and hard place being located in the harshed, cruelest enviroment. Check. Seeming unrelated, but now terribly profound backstory complicating everything. Check.

It's one of those stories, that the more you think about it, the more you realize how every little thing contributed to the major mess. Cause and effect at its best.

And I laugh at all the idiots who can't bear the gay. They're missing out on lots of quality, naked girlparts.

Comments

[evilgmbethy.livejournal.com]

It's one of those stories, that the more you think about it, the more you realize how every little thing contributed to the major mess. Cause and effect at its best.

Yeah, that's what I liked about it, too. Nothing felt wasted. Everything had a point.

And I laugh at all the idiots who can't bear the gay. They're missing out on lots of quality, naked girlparts.

Hahahah. True dat.

[rachel-martin64.livejournal.com]

I liked this movie a lot. But I am getting the impression that there are gays and liberals who feel betrayed by this movie for not being more explicit, for not giving Jack and Ennis more time together, and for not having an improbably happy ending. I say improbably because Jack and Ennis are rural, poor and uneducated, trapped by their environment. I would have been dumbfounded had they suddenly joined the Democratic Party, moved to San Fran and taken office jobs. Even Jack, the "smart" one, when he suggests they move away, he suggests they move to... Texas?!

I think this movie accurately reflects the limitations put on gays in the U.S., far more accurately than shows like "Will and Grace." This movie isn't a liberal fantasy like "Will and Grace."

[opera142.livejournal.com]

Willfully trapped by their environments. Rural, poor and uneducated had tons to do with it, but I think Ennis would have stayed put no matter what. I think he honestly loved the ranching life, and he had fears (beyond gay-bashing) that weren't played up.

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

Hi, I'm here from your metafandomed post and am glad to see someone else who preferred the Unpretty story characters to the Pretty movie ones!

I liked the way they showed Jack and Randall getting together in the movie, though. Jack had had enough rejection from Ennis by then that I was glad to see him getting an offer from someone else.