I've seen the Coen Brother's new film "No Country for Old Men" twice now, and if anyone out there wants to see it let me know because I'd happily go again. Having also read the Cormac McCarthy book, I think this is one of the few cases in which I like a film better than the book it is based on (another good example of this exception is Lord of the Rings). The acting is great, the cinematography is great, and the story feels perfectly written for the screen.
But the real triumph of the film is in its pacing. Pacing is a sort of arcane film-making art, usually exhibited in American films by constant action with just enough breaks to allow for the senses to sharpen again for a continued assault. This can be done incredibly well, and is often a combination of direction and (often under-appreciated) editing. Of course, there are other forms of pacing that are effective. French art films (perhaps best evidenced by the "New Wave" filmmakers of the 50s and 60s or Eric Rohmer for the decades since) favor a very slow deliberate pacing, which can be just as arresting if you have the patience for it.
However, "No Country for Old Men" is probably the most perfectly paced film ever. The actual method of pacing is closer to the French model, while still being essentially an action film, and the combination is incredible. Suspense and tension are created by the deliberate slowness of the action, in which a full 30 seconds can be devoted to one character walking across the empty wasteland that is west Texas. And at no point was I bored or annoyed, but constantly had my attention fixed on the screen.
Oscar nominations should really be given to just about every aspect of this film. I truly have no complaints about any part of it. I need to see it a few more times before I can really decide whether I think its the greatest film ever made, but I feel comfortable saying its in that territory.
So go see it. And when you do, call me, cause I'll probably want to go again.
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