Personality Zone

Brokeback Mountain

This film, based on a critically acclaimed short story and nominated for multiple Academy Awards, offers a little something for viewers of every temperament -- provided they are comfortable with the theme of romantic and sexual love between two men. Not all types will appreciate it equally. At its heart, this is an Idealist film. It maintains the slow pace and conventions of literary fiction, with main character Ennis del Mar (Heath Ledger) going through a nuanced inner transformation as well as outward change. That means the story moves rather slowly. At another level, Brokeback Mountain is the familiar tale of star-crossed lovers that Guardians will recognize and appreciate. The visuals -- from wide shots of the men and their dogs herding sheep and frolicing in beautiful outdoor settings to gritty, realist images of the meager house Ennis shares with his wife and two children -- are both a feast for the senses for Artisan viewers and a technical feat that Rational cinematography buffs can admire. 

The characters and their primary conflicts are well-drawn. Ennis is resigned to the fact that the relationship is likely doomed from the start but can't hold himself back when  his impulsive lover Jack Twist (Jake Gyllendaal) calls. Jack sustains an impossible fantasy of growing old with a man that, we learn, predates his relationship with Ennis. An added dimension that deepens the film is the portrayal of the men's unfortunate wives. Alma (Michelle Williams) is devastated by what she discovers about her husband Ennis and eventually leaves him for a secure marriage. Lureen (Anne Hathaway), is a cold-hearted woman whose primary disappointment with Jack seems to be his failure to devote himself to her father's business.

Verdict: Take your Idealist mate, who has a choice of tragic, dramatic plights to get drawn into. If your mate is a Guardian, Rational, or Artisan, this is a still an above-average choice.