No Country For Old Men is directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones (In the Valley of Elah, A Prairie Home Companion), Josh Brolin (Planet Terror, American Ganster), Javier Bardem (Goya's Ghost, Love in the Time of Cholera), Kelly Macdonald (Gosford Park, Finding Neverland), Woody Harrelson (A Scanner Darkly, The Walker), Tess Harper (The Jackal, Loggerheads), Barry Corbin (WarGames, Dukes of Hazzard (film remake)), Beth Grant (Donnie Darko, Little Miss Sunshine), and Stephen Root (Office Space, Dodgeball.) Carter Burwell contributes the musical score. The film is based on the 2005 novel by Cormac McCarthy. ***

No Country For Old Men follows the exploits of three men in Texas - one is a sheriff nearing retirement, another is a man who, during a hunting trip, happens across the remains of a shootout, and finds a briefcase filled with money - enough to retire on and live out his life in peace. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse. A third man has just been arrested and forcibly escaped custody, and has gone on a killing spree seeking the money. He is a cold-blooded, psychotic killer that will stop at nothing to get the cash back. The man who stumbled upon the case sends his wife to the other end of the country to be safe, while he is alternately hunted and hunter in this deadly game of cat and mouse. ***

The feedback for this film has been almost unanimously good - a number of critics have put it on their "best of 2007" lists. Only adding to the movie's reputation were its Oscar wins for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. Widespread praise aside, does this film deserve all the positive attention? ***

In a word, yes. Everything comes together nicely in this film - an all-star cast, a suspenseful feeling throughout with satisfying action scenes, two of the finest directors in modern cinema leading the way... you get the idea. The film was the recipient of four Oscars, and unlike many winners over the years, this one deserves every one it received. ***

The cast here is top-notch and the characters they portray work perfectly. Tommy Lee Jones is excellent as usual, portraying the nearly-retired sheriff. The one truly good character in the film, he stays interesting throughout even after disappearing for a good length of time in the film's middle section. Josh Brolin is the man who happened upon the case of cash. A troubled man whose greed and obsession with the money lead him down a road from which there is no return, he's outstanding in this role. In addition we get nice supporting roles from Stephen Root, Woody Harrelson, and Kelly Macdonald. Moviegoers couldn't have asked for a better cast. ***

And of course, no discussion of the film's cast and characters would be complete without mentioning Javier Bardem, who portrays the psychotic death-bringer out to reclaim his missing briefcase filled to the brim with cash. This guy steals every scene he's in. When he's on screen, you won't want to look away, because before the scene ends, it's likely someone is going to end up dead. Bardem struck me with fear and terror in all of his appearances. A far more effective villain than his book counterpart, not only did he deserve his Best Supporting Actor Oscar, I'll never look at him the same way again. ***

Despite the film's length, it never feels like it's dragging. The Coen brothers put the film's duration to good use. Every scene is ridden with suspense, and you won't want to look away from the screen at any time. There isn't a single scene in the film that is boring. It's difficult to being books to the big screen, let alone turn them into a great film, but Ethan and Joel have succeeded beautifully this time around. The ending may leave moviegoers confused, ending at a rather strange point, but that's hardly a flaw. This is arguably the best film of 2007 - and it certainly deserves its Best Picture Oscar. ***

As far as music goes, the score is composed by Carter Burwell. However most of the film is silent musically, as the film's various dialogues, gunshots, and explosions serve as a soundtrack more effectively than any orchestral score ever could. But where Burwell's score is featured, it's always appropriate and helps the scene. ---

Image And Sound:

The DVD presentation of the film looks fantastic, every scene, be it a dialogue or a shootout, comes across looking great. Sound fares equally well. If you've got a speaker system, it's going to get a serious workout during the action sequences.

The one section in which the DVD truly falters. Considering all the critical hype and Oscar wins, this few bonus features just doesn't do the movie justice. The main extra here is a half-hour making-of featurette. It's a worthwhile viewing for any fan of the film, going behind the scenes with cast and crew alike. Two lesser featurettes, Working With The Coens, and Diary of a Country Sheriff, are included as well. The latter focuses on the brothers who directed this masterwork, while the former takes a look at drug wars on the border between the southern US and Mexico. While these featurettes are all interesting to watch, it just isn't enough for a movie of this caliber. The biggest disappointment, however, is the lack of a commentary track.

Final Words:

Hands down, one of the best films of 2007. Arguably the best film the Coen brothers have ever directed. It's a rare example of a movie that deserves the almost instantaneous lofty reputation it has received. ***

And it gets this reviewer's highest recommendation.