After hearing the hotshot New York/LA critics bragging for months about how astonishing Brokeback Mountain is, I finally had the opportunity to catch a screening in Columbus.  Everyone cannot stop raving about this movie, which means my expectations of discovering overrated material have built up.  I plopped myself in the theater seat with high expectations and sat through the entire duration of the film.  Is it all it is really built up to be?  You bet your ass!  (Not a gay joke).

Mountain is the story of Jack Twist (Jack Gyllenhaal) and Ennis Delmar and the bond they form while sheep-herding together on….Brokeback Mountain.  After a few passionate trysts out in nature, the men return to reality and have to face the pressures of society.  Their predicament: the men are emotionally connected.  Despite the heterosexual marriages they form in order to abide by societal norms, Jack and Ennis realize that they can only find fulfillment and happiness in one another.

Ang Lee has directed a fine love story.  The concensus among critics is that Brokeback is just as legitimate as any well-written romantic drama, and they are absolutely right.  Lee does not rely on fast-paced spectacle in telling this story.  He takes the time to observe these two men over a long span of time.  The strength of their relationship is not strongly expressed through their happy time together, but through the discontent they feel when they are apart.

No other actor stresses this miserable attitude than Heath Ledger as Ennis.  Ledger proves his acting skills as an isolated man’s man who can’t find stability in his life.  If he goes with Jack, who truly makes him happy, he will live in fear of outlying homophobic forces.  While Jack is more willing to leave it all behind to be with the man he loves, Ennis cannot untangle his insecurities.  Ledger gets inside this character (once again, not a gay joke) and accurately portrays sadness and heartbreak.

Brokeback Mountain is a critically-accaimed picture that truly is what it is cracked up to be.  It took home the trophy for Best Drama at the Golden Globes last week, and I am sure it has a shot at big Oscar.  Ledger is a shoe-in for a best Actor nomination, and Michelle Williams (as Ennis’s neglected wife) will surely be acknowledged for her supporting role.  For hard-hitting drama, a beautifully-crafted love story, and rich character portrayal, Brokeback Mountain is a wonderful flick and surely makes my Top Ten of 2005.

Grade: A